10 years have passed since four American Indian friends participated in a terrible event. As the anniversary approaches they each start experiencing sinister seeming events. An animal from their past is coming to punish them for the evil things they have done. This story does contain gore and animal violence, however it is included for a reason. This was a character driven, psychological horror story that was incredibly well written. This was the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be my last.

Y’all… The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones? Whew. This one had me spooked, thinking, and lowkey emotional, and I loved every minute of it. I’m giving it 4.5 stars.

So first of all, this is horror, but not just “things go bump in the night” horror. This is literary, psychological, cultural, ancestral horror. The kind that creeps up on you slow, gets in your bones, and makes you sit with some heavy truths.

The way Jones ties in generational trauma, identity, grief, and cultural disconnection? Masterful. The writing is sharp, eerie, poetic, and raw all at once.

It’s not a quick, breezy read. You gotta sit with it, pay attention, and let it unfold. Some parts get a little dense, which is why I knocked off that half star. But it’s so worth it. There’s real depth here, and the horror hits because it’s rooted in something real, colonialism, tradition, survival, guilt.

Stephen Graham Jones has truly never missed. He is a once in a lifetime author. This book is a classic I believe every horror reader has to read at some point.

I really enjoyed this book for many different reasons. I read excellent reviews about this book, and it lived up to those expectations. One of the most interesting parts of this book was Jones’s ability to play with genres—like horror stories and Native American folklore and history. I don’t know a whole lot about Native American folklore or history, but I am interested in it. Much like Treuer’s The Heartbreak of Wounded Knee, Graham Jones’s book challenges how Indigenous People’s lives are presented as entertainment and history. He frequently makes references to portrayals of Indigenous People in movies or Cigar Store Indians, and talks about common stereotypes about life on the Rez. Despite these misconceptions, Graham Jones presents a group of guys who share an important hunting experience in their early adulthood. They go on to have lives, are married, have kids, jobs and other responsibilities. And while not all of them had similar outcomes, the unique experience that they shared comes back to eventually haunt them, each in their own unique way.

The horror reminded me of Stephen King’s It, although the Elk Headed Woman seems to have more of a purpose and drive to commit her evil than Pennywise. In this way, readers can understand the importance of balance and harmony in life, and how disrupting that balance, going against the rules and laws of tradition seem to upset the balance and have dangerous consequences. In particular, the events and consequences were surprising and thrilling. I was not expecting many of the twists and turns that the book took, and the suspense in the book kept me turning pages. In addition, I enjoyed reading the afterword, especially looking at the books and works that influenced Graham Jones during his writing. I made a note to track down Erdrich’s The Antelope Wife. However, I was instantly reminded of John Landis’s episode of Masters of Horror The Deer Woman when some of the deaths start to occur. Graham Jones confirmed the influence in the afterword.

Beyond the horror and the folklore, I really enjoyed how much the characters liked basketball. Graham Jones had some interesting descriptions of basketball, and there is a pivotal game that has some vivid descriptions of shots and moves. The writing was compelling. I also really appreciated his description of the sweat lodge. It was interesting to hear about some of the purposes of a sweat lodge and what the participants sought out. In particular, it was great to see how supportive and communal the reservation can be, especially when some of the members experience trouble.

After reading this book, I am looking forward to reading more from Stephen Graham Jones. His creative play on different genres, poetic and detailed descriptions and unexpected humor made this a fun and interesting read.

This book was five stars for me. The writing style was nothing like I’ve read before or the story its self. Taking reincarnation and making it horror was an amazing twist. The way everything came together was amazing. I just bought the buffalo hunter hunter and I can’t wait to read it after reading this one. This was one of my top reads of the year.

I would like to start off by saying thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for this ARC. After hearing raving reviews about this author and this book specifically, I was excited to read this book as my first Stephen Graham Jones book.

It seems like most reviewers really enjoyed this book, so please don't take this off of your TBR based off of my review. Unfortunately, it was not a book that I enjoyed. I can usually read a book of this length within 24-48 hours, but I struggled to get through this book, so it took much longer to get through. The writing style was confusing and I struggled to follow who the POV was from since the chapters did not say, leaving you to guess who it is referring to until they're mentioned by another character. This book did not capture my interest at any point and was very slow.

I was hoping that the ending would make it all worth the read and tie everything together to make a solid conclusion to the story, but it did not. Horror and Psychological Thriller are my two genres that I read, and this is the only horror other than American Psycho that I did not enjoy or find graphic. I would personally call this more of a supernatural thriller rather than a horror.

It was a very unique concept for a book and different from anything I've ever read, so I was jumping out of my comfort zone with the supernatural aspect of this book but it just didn't do it for me. I truly hope others still choose to read this book and enjoy it and I will give this author another try as I currently have another Stephen Graham Jones ARC from Netgalley and own the "Indian Lake Trilogy" in paperback.

I enjoyed the elements of Native American history and mythology. Some of the POVs I liked more than others. Overall, a scary read. I didn't love all the basketball details towards the end. I skimmed most of those parts where we got a play by play of every game mentioned. The psychological elements were really well done.

Stephen Graham Jones is an auto buy horror author for me. The Only Good Indians truly highlights his talents for painting an image with words. I forgot a long the way that this isn't a movie and the images in my head of that scene with the motorcycle wasn't something out of a Final Destination movie. This is definitely a must read for horror fans.

The only good Indians is the first novel I have read by Stephen Graham Jones. The novel was definitely out of my comfort zone I absolutely did enjoy it. It kept my interest through out the whole novel. Do I think this book was scary?no,it seemed to be more of a thriller/suspense novel.

I see now why this book had so much talk when it was published, Jones does a great job capturing the creepy feeling that we all experience but are hard to share.

I really wanted to like this one, and I tried really hard; however, Jones's writing style is just not for me. I got lost several times within paragraphs throughout the first third of the book. I was hopeful as I had read so. many fantastic review and thought this would be an intriguing segue into horror, but it just didn't work for me. I love the concept, and I think it's so incredibly important to have authentic voices from every background and culture. I'm bummed it didn't work for me.

Woah. This was intense. 😳
I was kind of confused in some parts and other parts of it were a little slow but ultimately this was a pretty neat read. It really did freak me out a little bit at times. I thought it was a unique plot. A good ol revenge tale. I liked it. I didn’t love it but I liked it and I really enjoyed the ending.
This does get a bit gory and some animals do get harmed, along with some people as well, so beware if that’s something you’d like to avoid.

This book was certainly interesting. It was a unique story regarding tradition and revenge but all came full circle in the end.

Though I liked the story itself, I did find that it required a lot of brain power on my end to keep up which was really the only downfall, in my opinion.

Thank you very much to S&S/Saga Press for the e-ARC of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.

Transparency moment, I read this book back in December of 2020 and it was one of the first horror books I read as an adult. I was delighted to see this pop back on NetGalley, so I could add my reviews there. Was this book scary, weird, and horrifying? Yes, absolutely, please check your trigger warnings before diving in and know that there is animal horror involved. I haven't been able to look at a deer the same since, if you know, you know. Anyway, this was the first Stephen Graham Jones book I read and it did take me a minute to adjust to the writing style. This book follows four friends, Ricky, Gabe, Lewis, and Jerry - who have been friends since childhood.

The book is split into three parts and told in a "day-of-the-week" narrative structure in part 1, then breaks off a bit in the later chapters. This is one of those horror books with thriller elements, and the whole time I read I was in a state of suspension, reading with bated breath as I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is why I cannot read horror too much, they will have me stressed out, heart rate up, and the death scenes were nauseating, but impactful.. I didn't feel like he was including the gruesome elements for shock elements, but because they deepened his meaning and drove home his point - rather starkly.

Another thing I appreciated was how candid he was about the life, both joys and struggles of Indigenous people of America. This book features both Blackfeet and Crow representation and shows elements of Res life. So we follow these four friends, who are now adults, as a decision they made as adolescents has come back to haunt them, literally. We follow each of them as they grapple with their current standing in life and witness their reactions as they realize they are currently prey. They are trying to decipher the situation and figure out who or what is hunting them and how to stop this terror from claiming them all. I highly recommend if you are looking for a horror book, that will both horrify and shock you, while also remains grounded in the realities of some Indigenous people and to um...respect life...errr, umm, you'll get it. I'm still not going to be a horror connoisseur because I don't think I could mentally read this one the regular, but this is one that has stayed with me and that I could see myself rereading. Jones also has a pretty extensive backlist with lots of thriller/horror/coming of age stories that will whet your appetite and are a great way to engage with more Indigenous stories.

Umm what the heck. This was terrifying. I was seriously so scared. Which was the point. If you like anything scary then this book is for you. I couldn’t look away and yet I was very disturbed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

WHAT A BOOK!!! Finally got around to reading this book and felt ALLLLLL the emotions. I'm still in a tailspin and it's been weeks...do yourself a favor and pick this amazing novel up!

Stephen Graham Jones is a hell of a writer! He’s got voice, he’s got three-dimensional, deeply human characters (even the ones who are not human at all.) He knows how to crank the tension up to a million, and when to let it slope down a little so the reader can get their breath back, shore up some hope, reaffirm attachment to the characters, no matter how doomed they are. And then crank it up again, so you turn the pages at a rapid rate. And there’s a freshness to his story as well, immersing the reader in Blackfeet culture. While there were a few moments where I got lost in unfamiliar cadence and slang, Jones’s writing carried me right along despite that, and eventually I developed more of an ear.

Also, <I>what</I> a power move, placing the reader right behind the crosshairs by not only popping into Elk Head Woman’s POV, but doing so in second person. <I>You</I> are the Elk Head Woman. The most intimate, empathetic, and unflinching use of POV possible.

And <I>what</I> an ending! This has already been an intense story by the time Jones and The Elk Head Woman focus on Denorah, and then Jones cranks <I>that</I> up to eleven. I could practically taste the blood at the back of <I>my</I> throat as I read, and then the turning point, the point of resolution, and it could not have ended any more perfectly, with any other decisions made by the characters. Everything came full circle, both narratively and thematically, and amid the horror, there was a point of grace, looping out into the future.

So yeah, this gets five stars.

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

What a fantastic book! The first one I have read by this author but definitely can't wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. I've heard so much about this book and I'm so glad to finally be able to enjoy it. Highly recommend!

Yesssss I was in such a slump but this pulled me right out of it! Super creepy and on the edge of my seat the whole time! Definitely reading more from him!

A decade ago, four Blackfeet Indian men committed a violation they never should have. Now, vengeance is coming for them. Honestly this book feels a little more like a trilogy of short stories. In one, Lewis moves into a house he is convinced is haunted, and in the course of a week, loses his mind and his entire world. In the second, Gabe and Cassidy honor the passing of some friends with a sweat lodge, all the while being stalked by vengeance in the woods. And in the third, a Blackfeet girl fights and runs for her life. It felt a little disjointed. It was scary, though. I think part one was the best, suspense-wise, and because Jones still had all the secrets hidden. All in all, it was a good read. I still preferred Mongrels, though.
Warning: Some really, really heinous things happen to dogs.