'The Troop' by Nick Cutter is a horror novel that follows a group of five 14-year-old Scouts and their Troop Master who are dropped off on an island for a weekend of hiking and survival skills. The story takes a terrifying turn when a starving man infected with worms arrives on the island, leading to a series of gruesome and horrifying events. The book is praised for its compelling storytelling, detailed descriptions of horror, and the use of interspersed news accounts and transcripts to enhance the narrative.
The plot of 'The Troop' is described as a mix of 'Lord of the Flies' and 'The Ruins', with a focus on the boys' struggle for survival in the face of unimaginable terror. The writing style is noted for its vivid and clinical imagery, complex metaphors, and the ability to evoke discomfort and fear in readers. The book delves into themes of plausible horror, unethical experimentation, and the dark side of human nature, creating a chilling and suspenseful atmosphere throughout the story.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for The Troop include graphic descriptions of body horror, animal cruelty, and elements of psychological trauma.
From The Publisher:
"The Troop scared the hell out of me, and I couldn't put it down. This is old-school horror at its best." -Stephen King
This "grim microcosm of terror and desperation haunting" (Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author) follows a scout troop on a terrifying fight for survival when they come across a mysterious-and deadly-stranger in the Canadian wilderness.
Once every year, Scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a weekend camping trip-a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story around a roaring bonfire. But when an unexpected intruder stumbles upon their campsite-shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry-Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare. A horror that spreads faster than fear. A harrowing struggle for survival with no escape from the elements, the infected…or one another.
Part Lord of the Flies, part 28 Days Later-and all-consuming-this tightly written, edge-of-your-seat thriller takes you deep into the heart of darkness, where fear feeds on sanity…and terror hungers for more.
Ratings (133)
Incredible (16) | |
Loved It (38) | |
Liked It (47) | |
It Was OK (15) | |
Did Not Like (13) | |
Hated It (4) |
Reader Stats (299):
Read It (140) | |
Currently Reading (4) | |
Want To Read (114) | |
Did Not Finish (6) | |
Not Interested (35) |
5 comment(s)
DNF. Read almost all of it until I decided to DNF it. It was just not for me.
I really enjoyed this creepy story about a "boy scout" troop that gets trapped on an island and then absolute chaos ensues. I may be nuts, but I wanted MORE fear. The story is definitely creepy and I really enjoyed it. It made me think how possible things like this are and that is what is so haunting.
GNARLY. Top five horror.
I couldn't finish this. The book was well-written, with a believable, scary plot and interesting characters. Ultimately, maybe Mr. Cutter was just too descriptive for me? It's not a problem I've encountered in my limited apocalypse/terror/horror reads, but I reached a point where I just couldn't go any further, even not knowing how it ends--something that typically drives me crazy. Trying not to spoil it, but one character is NOT okay.
Shelly is a fvcking sociopath, and the author does a *really* good job--too good maybe--describing Shelly's past torture of animals *BEFORE* Shelly moves on other things in the present. How convenient for Shelly that there's an apocalypse and he can do whatever he wants? Yikes.
I might pick it up later and finish it, but this is just not for me. Gonna go find me a HEA.
Audiobook narrator was great.
Note to self--listened to 6:37:34 of 11:02:10 (60%) with 4:24:36 left.
i just didn’t really care about the characters or what was going to happen to them
What can you read after
The Troop?
About the Author:
Nick Cutter is a pseudonym for an acclaimed author of novels and short stories. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
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