When there is a soon-to-be-released movie that looks interesting I enjoy quick reading the book first, provided time allows, as I enjoy creating the visuals in my head and then comparing them (and the original story) to the Hollywood versions. I recently found myself with book-time and decided to prep for I Am Legend.

I quickly learned that there is a problem with reading a Hollywooded book-based-on-a-movie-that-was-based-on-the book format. That problem is that they don’t so much want you to judge the book by the cover, but rather judge your level of excitement over the movie by on the cover, so you will buy it. Hollywooded books do attract me, so I get it. In the case of Legend, however, it tarnished the experience. I was thrown a bit by the fact that the character was all scruffy and white as all get out, given that Will Smith was looking so suave and not white on the cover. I was further thrown by the references to the 1970’s until I later learned that the story was written in the 50’s. I was further, and most roughly, thrown by the fact that the book was apparently a collection of stories which Legend only amounted to about half. The latter confused the hell out of me until, towards the very end of the book, I wised up. Black Will on the cover I can deal with, not warning me that I was leaving Legend I cannot. Rude, Hollywood .. rude!

I am not reviewing Hollywood book presentation, however, but the riventing story of I Am Legend, which was outstanding. Initially I expected a tale of man vs. vampire comprised of the usual long fangs, exciting chase scenes, lots of bloody fighting, and probably a hottie love interest. In fact, while there were graphic encounters, it was not about simple horror or action but rather a man dealing with a life of fear, loneliness, and a grim existence. Consider this following snippet if you will:

… it had slowly dawned on him that intense hope was not the answer and never had been. In a world of monotonous horror there could be no salvation in wild dreaming. Horror he had adjusted to. But monotony was the greater obstacle, and he realized it now, understood it at long last …

This book is about emotion and man vs. his own mind in terrible circumstances. The author does an amazing job of describing the insanity, neurosis, depression, self-doubt, loneliness, and suicidal tendencies which are described in such a way that I found myself being the character and totally empathizing.

Eventually Will the white dude resolves to rationalize the plague? with science, which provides a fun explanation for why vampires? are they way that they are and how reality compares to the … Legend. The rationalization was fun and well done.

So now it’s on to the theater to see what’s what. Usually at this point I dread what will happen to the story when it falls out on the big screen, but in this case I do not demand a visual reproduction as I do not believe that is possible without a fantastic director who is willing to go out of the box to tell the story accurately … which I assume was not in the plan for a movie which previews Will Smith, looking very metro, speeding around in a new Mustang, and watching lions ravage deer in the corn-filled streets of some big city. As I read this book even I, with my wild creativity (in my opinion), often stopped to imagine how the heck the deep introspection, emotion, and wild thoughts would even begin to translate visually, and many times I had no answer. Even if fantastic, out-of-the-box director was at the helm I’d be skeptical.

The portion of the book containing I Am Legend was brilliant. I could hardly put it down. The other stories in the book ranged from boring to cute. The movie?