The Troop grabbed me in the first pages. I thought that it might because of its premise: the struggle for survival in the wilderness against a horror that can be all too real. It was unlike many other horror novels that conjure an unseen evil being or a killer stalking its prey. This one has that make-your-skin-crawl feeling with the highly imagined bio-engineered possibility, while keeping it close to home with vulnerable teenage characters who are left to own wits and leadership. The book's scenario has been even been described as Lord of the Flies meets Night of the Creeps. I had that feeling too, but The Troop goes beyond that with its own identity. 
 I would have given it 5 stars because I liked it that much. What held me back were the points in the book that become very dark and almost too disturbing, although they were few. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Nick Cutter. I also learned the author's name is a pseudonym - worth checking out.