The Troop
3 journalers for this copy...
I got this fair-condition paperback at a local Savers thrift shop, as it sounded like a creepy mix of camping trip, plague, and horror story. (I enjoyed Cutter's The Deep; will be interesting to compare it to this one.)
The story unfolds through a mix of news items, post-event reports and interviews, and real-time events as seen by each of the five teenage scouts and their troop leader. The scouts are on a campout on a small island in the middle of a large lake when a boat drifts ashore bearing a cadaverous, clearly-ill stranger - and that's when things start to go horribly wrong... We learn early on what his ailment consists of, though the details of how it came about and how he wound up on the island only come out in small hints throughout the book. But the effects are all too obvious, as the troop-leader's well-intentioned attempt to provide first aid to the stranger lead to his own infection. When the scouts wind up on their own amid the growing horror of what's happened - and the increasing revelation that nobody is coming to save them - things get very disturbing indeed...
Some of this story was very hard to read, not only due to the squick factor (which is extreme) but to some cruelty-to-animals scenes from the back story of the sociopathic boy in the group. His actions are pretty nightmarish in themselves, with the spreading contagion only adding to the nightmares.
Gruesome and creepy-effective.
[There's a TV Tropes page on the novel.]
The story unfolds through a mix of news items, post-event reports and interviews, and real-time events as seen by each of the five teenage scouts and their troop leader. The scouts are on a campout on a small island in the middle of a large lake when a boat drifts ashore bearing a cadaverous, clearly-ill stranger - and that's when things start to go horribly wrong... We learn early on what his ailment consists of, though the details of how it came about and how he wound up on the island only come out in small hints throughout the book. But the effects are all too obvious, as the troop-leader's well-intentioned attempt to provide first aid to the stranger lead to his own infection. When the scouts wind up on their own amid the growing horror of what's happened - and the increasing revelation that nobody is coming to save them - things get very disturbing indeed...
Some of this story was very hard to read, not only due to the squick factor (which is extreme) but to some cruelty-to-animals scenes from the back story of the sociopathic boy in the group. His actions are pretty nightmarish in themselves, with the spreading contagion only adding to the nightmares.
Gruesome and creepy-effective.
[There's a TV Tropes page on the novel.]
I'm sending this to BCer T02S03B11D20 in Michigan, as part of the US/Canada wishlist tag game. Enjoy!
This book arrived today, thanks. As I just finished the previous book this morning, it seemed like a given to go ahead and give this one a try.
This book is like a train wreck! You see it coming, close your eyes and then somehow open them and keep reading. First time I have read this author, I will look for more of his books. I did not care for the animal cruelty mentioned, but I guess it was important to the book. Happily there wasn't too much mentioned of the really bad stuff.
Wish list tag
Received from T02S03B11D20.
Thank you so much!
Living room black, top shelf
Thank you so much!
Living room black, top shelf
