samhuntwork 's review for:

The Troop by Nick Cutter

3.0

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Rounded up from a 2.5. This book definitely relies a bit too heavily on cliches and becomes predictable subsequently. We’re introduced to all these characters almost as if they’re archetypal. The characters might as well be called “the jock” or “the fat kid” because, for the most part, the characters exclusively act in line with the archetype that is all laid out for us in the exposition of the novel. Virus horror is primarily predicated on the fear of the unknown and the unpredictable and how merciless nature can be towards man. When all the characters fall in line with exactly who they are, the horror loses a lot of meaning. There really is no fear because all of the characters do exactly what’s expected of them. The virus in this novel could have been an actual axe wielding psychopath, and the story would’ve unfolded in the exact same way. All and all, a bit disappointing given my expectation for what this novel could’ve been.