Science-Fiction has been around for decades and, for many at least, can spark the imagination. The 'SF-Masterworks Series' goes back some fifty to sixty years, presenting novels that are often considered 'classics', giving fans of the genre, young and old, the opportunity to read books and encounter authors they may otherwise never have come across.

Set initially in 1976, 'I Am Legend' tells the story of Robert Neville, a man whose sole task is to survive in a world where everyone else has somehow become vampires. Hunting them by day, but resorting to barricading himself in his house for protection when night falls. It details three years or so of his life, coming to terms with his lot, trying to survive and, most of all, trying to change his circumstances for the better.

Neville is a well written character and rather than being some kind of semi-superhuman being, he is simply a average man forced into a difficult and strange situation, who has to hunt vampires in order to preserve his own life, rather than out of any sense of duty.
The way in which Matheson writes the character is such that I found Neville's reaction to his isolation from mankind was particularly engaging, with what appears to be a borderline schizophrenia prominent throughout the majority of the book - indeed the character often seems on the brink of a descending into madness because of his situation. Neville's battle with various inner demons is a great thread through the book, from his use of alcohol to try and forget the past, to his feeling of a forced life of celibacy.
Despair and hope also feature heavily through the book, with Neville going through repeated bouts of extreme despair through to great elation at certain prospects. I felt these passages were something most people could identify with to some degree and it helps you feel empathy for Neville and his situation, drawing you into the book more.

I did quite enjoy the way certain things were explained by using flashbacks, taking Neville back to 1975 and a time when there was still other humans alive.
On the other hand, certain things are not so well explained. For example, the novel hints that there was some kind of war, but it is never really mentioned in any great detail. Equally, early on it is stated that Neville was a soldier, but this seems in many ways a throw away comment, not entirely relevant to the plot - the only remotely significance that it connects to is that he had a cross tattooed on his chest whilst he was in service, but this also is only loosely connected to the rest of the plot - I for one felt the tattoo should have played a much more significant role in the story.

Reading the book itself it no great chore - I managed to complete it in a day - as the language used is very accessible and easy to read. Again, by not relying on fantastic technology or alien concepts, I believe Matheson is able to reach a greater audience than is typically capable of science-fiction. I actually think if you're the kind of person who's struggled with sci-fi because of certain concepts, or you've just never particularly enjoyed it as a genre, this book may still well appeal to you, as the science is in many ways secondary to the character development.