I have a very short list of books that I would say are near-perfect in their greatness. Stephen King's IT comes to mind, as well as Dune by Frank Herbert and A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson is so brilliant that it is hard to put into words. At roughly 170 pages or so, it is not a long story but the action that takes place in that 170 pages is intense and so compelling that you want to read this book in one sitting. I beg you please do NOT shy away from reading this book because of the awful Will Smith movie. That movie bears little to no resemblance to the story contained within this brilliant book. I read it in one night (with the lights on) and it made me realize what great storytelling can be when it is done right. This book will haunt you, will scare you, but most of all will leave you with a feeling that you wish it didn't have to end.