Legen... Wait for it...

#7: I am Legend, Richard Matheson

Hey, at least I've finished this one.

1. Vampires

Yes, they're cliched. Honestly, I've grown so weary of vampires that I can hardly bring myself to read a book that has anything to do with them.

But.

Matheson's novel is much more than just a vampire story. And the thing with these vampires is that they're true, that they're like the creatures were originally thought to be. They're not the sexy brooding leading role in a romance novel. They're gritty, they make you cringe, and they'll make you bleed.

That's why I like them, and that's why I called this book #7 on the list.

Because if you're a writer and you're trying to create a creature with real grit, Matheson is your best bet for inspiration. If you haven't read this one, I encourage you to go pick it up right now.

2. Character Development

More than just a vampire story, it's also the story of a human man. Yeah, that might sound a little cliched as well, and yeah you might be able to get this story somewhere else, but not like this. Matheson made his human character as undeniably human as possible. While his vampires are undoubtedly vampires, his human is also one of the best humans I've ever read on paper.

That alone is enough to read the book.

3. How to end a story

Sheesh.

I won't give anything away. Even if you've seen the movie, I won't give anything away. (they're different endings, by the way).

Matheson knows how to end a story, better than a lot of writers I read. He knows his craft, and he's not afraid to use it.

That's the kind of writer I aspire to be.


[love]

{Rani D.}