Stephen King has been known as the "King of Horror" for a long time, so any book he recommends is one that absolutely warrants reading. That goes double when a book wins the inaugural James Herbert Award, named for one of England's most prolific and successful horror writers, and when it repeatedly comes up in horror recommendation threads on TikTok. Add in a plot involving Boy Scouts trapped on an island with killer tapeworms, and it's no surprise that King describes Nick Cutter's The Troop as "old-school horror at its best."
Cutter's horror book any Stephen King fan would love. With twists, turns, gore, and a pointed look at the military-industrial complex, The Troop is a thrill ride steeped in classic horror tropes that any horror fan with a hearty appetite will devour in one sitting.
The Troop By Nick Cutter Holds Up 10 Years After Its Debut
The Story Avoids Conventions Or Technology That Could Date It
While some horror books age poorly — especially since horror as a genre is constantly evolving — some remain classics for years after their release. Carrie just ing the 50th anniversary of its publication and remaining a timeless classic. An endorsement from King is a serious feather in the cap of any horror author. By being set on a secluded island, The Troop avoids any social conventions or technology that would heavily date the book.
While The Troop may not be the most pointed criticism of government overreach, it still accomplishes what it set out to be: a gripping and thoughtful horror novel.
Combined with its gripping narrative, this ensures The Troop holds up well, despite hitting shelves a decade ago. Some reviews of the book are mixed, with Publishers Weekly pointing out that the characters are fairly stock and that the novel's warnings about military medical experimentation is "pro forma rather than based in any authentic outrage over abuses real or imagined." Still, while The Troop may not be the most pointed criticism of government overreach, it still accomplishes what it set out to be: a gripping and thoughtful horror novel.
Why The Troop Is A Must-Read Book For Horror (& Stephen King) Fans
Nick Cutter's Book Is Disgusting & Tense
The Troop is an essential read for horror fans who love a little disgust sprinkled in with their terror. Similar to King's Carrie, The Troop uses a framing device of placing extra-textual materials in between the chapters, like newspaper articles and interviews. This helps increase the dramatic tension as the reader begins to piece together just what menace lurks on the island, even as the characters are scared out of their wits.
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It was announced in 2019 via The Wrap that James Wan's production company, Atomic Monster, is working on a film adaptation of The Troop. More recently, Cutter said in an interview with Variety that the project is still in the works, but that progress has been slow-going. Until a release date for the film adaptation of The Troop is announced, horror fans will just need to read the book to get their fill of worm-based terror. As King notes, it's well worth the time investment.
Source: Publishers Weekly, The Wrap, Variety
