AUTHOR’S JOURNAL | (Updated) PEN DATE 1.25.22 | TW: Violence, Death, Language
The Troop by Nick Cutter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Troop by Nick Cutter … HOLY BAJEEZUS! FAVORITE BOOK I’VE READ FRONT TO BACK!
This is how I started my review back in July, lol—–^
However, nearly six months later, this book still sticks with me, and I am excited to say it was definitely my favorite book from 2021, and it’s up there as an all time favorite.
That in mind, a friend recommended this book, and I was skeptical. Thinking, ‘okay I’ll read it,’ and I have to say, this is non-stop suspense horror at its finest.
|FLASH SYNOPSIS|
Immediately, the problem is set and the inciting incident arrives promptly as “The Hungry Man” worms his way into the isolated island campsite of our five protagonist Boy Scouts of Troop 52 and their scoutmaster. This horrifying slender man is not what he seems as he eats everything, and I mean, everything he can, in an attempt to quell the hunger deep inside him. But things escalate when Scoutmaster Tim, the only doctor from the mainland, and the only adult on the island, determines that our slender man is ill and needs medical attention.
… SPOILERS BELOW …
This is where SHIT HITS THE FAN!
Genetically engineered tapeworms become the center of readers’ nightmares, as these biological weapons eviscerate character after character from the inside out. But they’re not the only monster on the island as there is a budding sociopath amongst the boys. Quickly, his torment of animals and insects won’t be enough and his fellow campers become the target of his little games.
Unfortunately for our surviving campers the sociopath amongst them finds himself infected after having already murdered one scout. Now, whoever is left has to survive the monster that is our infected serial killer in training.
Even if any of the boys can survive the tapeworm, who’s to say the military that has blockaded the island will allow anyone to leave the island alive.
|A QUICK FAVORITE|
What I love most about this book is the paranormal element of the tapeworm being juxtaposed with the very real ideal of a sociopath. There is one very imaginative monster that the boys must outrun, which is scary enough. But the fact that one of their own is a budding serial killer makes for a compelling dose of horror that grounds the work.
|OVERALL|
If you liked Stephen King’s Carrie, you will like The Troop. Cutter found inspiration in the interspersed timelines of Carrie alongside articles and interviews so much that it spawned a similar type of back and forth for the narrative of The Troop, while maintaining originality.
Highly Recommend. 5-Stars.
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