I AM LEGEND

Read by Seth Childers

Genre: Fiction

The first time I heard of "I am Legend" was when I saw previews for it in theaters. I thought that the clip I got a glimpse of was full of action and the kind of movie I LOVE! Well when I went and saw the actual movie, I was surprised. It turns out that the movie was a thriller in which had some slightly scary stuff in it. Well I went to see it unprepared to see zombie like humans that were after the main character and his dog. I FLIPPED when I saw the creepy humans for the first time. Well in the end I loved the movie and watched it time and time again. Later, I found out that the movie was based off of a book. When we had to pick a book for a report, I was all for pleasure reading as homework.

Survival is everything. That is the only thing passing through your head when you are the last man on earth. Robert Neville is the only known survivor of a terrible disease that has wiped out earths population of humans. For some reason, Robert is immune to the bacteria that has spread and infected everyone. This bacteria kills its host over a few weeks and leaves them dead, for a while. Even though they may be dead, the host or in this case the humans are still very much alive. They become blood thirsty zombies once infected long enough, dead or alive, which we know as vampires. Robert must keep safe during the night and kill them as they sleep during the day. Along with the struggle to keep himself safe, he must deal with the sad life he is trying so hard to protect. The pain of living alone without a companion for 3 years takes a tole on him and he has to cope with it. He does so by passing the time drinking and losing himself in his own drunken world. The anguish that comes with being the last one of his kind is hard, especially with knowing the sad fact that he would never find anyone else alive, or would he?

I am Legend. Those words alone could tell so many different stories. The story they pertain to brings out much significance in this title. Robert Neville was the last human ever to live. He survived 3 years after the extinction of his kind and into the revolution of a new dominant species. This new species was Vampires. The great accomplishments of surviving and fighting for so long show his bravery and courage. His life was a continuous battle. He is a hero, and this book is his Legend.

If I could ask the author three questions they would be:
1. In the last scene of the book when Robert and Ruth are talking, had Ruth really changed, or was it all show? I would ask this because Ruth was infected with the disease and tricked Robert earlier in the book, but she said that she was telling the truth this time and I couldn't tell if she had become one of "them" or not.

2. Since they found a way to control the bacteria, and Robert had no reason to kill them anymore, then why did they still fear him and kill him? I think that they should have let him live in the end if he made a vow not to kill them anymore, and I was curious as to why he had to die.

3. How did the dog become infected after surviving for so long? In the story a dog had come by Roberts house after a year of total elimination of all true life, but one day came by infected and slowly started to die. I don't understand how it avoided getting it all that time, and then all of a sudden was infected.