I Am Legend (Penguin Speculative Fiction Special) by Richard Matheson, Joe R. Lansdale

RELEASE DATE 10/6/26

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For the first time in Penguin Classics, the classic post-apocalyptic tale of survival by one of the most influential twentieth-century American writers of horror to celebrate his birth centennial

A Penguin Classics Hardcover

By day, Robert Neville drives through the deserted roads of Los Angeles, hunting dormant vampires and searching for answers to the plague that wiped out humanity and stranded him as the lone survivor. At night, when the vampires stalk the streets, Robert shelters in his home, using alcohol to drown his mind haunted by memories of the past. Vampires, plagues, the apocalypse: At one point in Robert’s life these were mere legends. But now they are his reality, the backdrop of a personal hell … and he may not be alone.

Cited as an influence by Stephen King, George A. Romero, and countless other writers and auteurs, Matheson’s 1954 tale of a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles inhabited by vampires forever changed the landscape of horror and speculative fiction. Matheson’s renowned ability to ground suspense and horror in the darkness of the streets and homes all too familiar to us is showcased in this classic tale of survival. The Penguin Classics Speculative Edition of I Am Legend will reintroduce readers to a touchstone of the genre and the legend of Richard Matheson.

Penguin Speculative Fiction Special is a hardcover series of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and more published by Penguin Classics. Featuring custom endpapers, specially commissioned cover art, and introductions by scholars and notable figures, these collectible editions celebrate classics that invite us to ask, “What if?” and that, through bold imagination, alternative visions, and magical realms, transform our perception of our world.