I can’t help it—I’m a fan of gore. Okay? Sue me. Maybe it comes from an early obsession with horror movies, maybe from a somewhat traumatic past, or maybe something else entirely. Who knows? All I know is that something inside me craves testing the limits of what I can stomach. Enter: The Troop by Nick Cutter.
The Troop is easily the most revolting mainstream horror book I’ve read, and that’s saying something! The story follows a group of 14-year-old scouts and their scoutmaster on a weekend of hiking and camping on Falstaff Island. This plan goes south quickly when a mysterious, hungry visitor arrives in the middle of the night. From there, the story spirals into pure nightmare fuel. Something is seriously wrong with this man, and it may already be too late to do anything about it. Cutter’s descriptions of what follows are nothing short of stomach-turning. I won’t share too much, because half the fun is piecing together what’s happening bit by bit as the horror unfolds.
The first stretch of the book is told through Scoutmaster Tim’s perspective as he struggles to protect the boys while everything unravels around them. Soon, the narrative splinters into chapters from each of the boys’ points of view. This shift adds tension and helps flesh them out as individuals, though it also means the story lacks a single, central “main character” to latch onto emotionally. That absence works for the story’s chaos but does make deep character connection harder.
In the acknowledgments, Cutter thanks Stephen King, who he cites as an influence—and it shows. The pacing, tone, and subject matter echo King without ever feeling carbon copy. One of the most obvious nods is Cutter’s use of news articles, lab reports, and jury testimony to deliver exposition without slowing momentum. King fans will recognize this same epistolary technique from Carrie.
That’s not to say that this book doesn’t have some cons either. While it’s set in the modern day, the kids sometimes have an old-fashioned way of talking to one another. Not a literary sin by any means—and it may even help this book stand the test of time—but it did feel a little stilted in places. Though I’m more than happy to forgive a bit of wonky dialogue, my biggest gripe is the lack of emotional depth around certain characters. Without getting too specific, I’ll just say that despite the fact that we’re talking about 14-year-old boys, there were a few instances (particularly with Newt and Scoutmaster Tim) where the emotion was missing. If you decide to read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!
Like all great works of horror this story delves into some fascinating themes such as how adults and children handle crises, scientific ethics, and the adaptability of the human animal. On the first two, I thought Cutter’s thesis was spot on. On humanity’s ability to adapt, perhaps less so? But that’s exactly the kind of thing that makes for fascinating book club discussions!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 stars for this incredible read!
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