I loved this book that combines history and horror with some fantasy to make just a good totally original read . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones was one of my most anticipated books of 2025! Everything I have read by this author has been amazing and this one did not disappoint either. There is no way to talk about the genius of this book from the historical horrific elements to the explosive ending! Just do yourself a favor and read it! Be warned that is starts off at a steady pace, which is perfectly appropriate for the development of the story and plot points because the ending paid off in spades.

Loved this book from Stephen Graham Jones. From the moment Good Stab appears on the page in his sunglasses and priestly robes, I knew we were in for a good time. It has some framing elements that bring to mind Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire, but the story goes a different direction altogether, dealing with the initial colonization of the region we now know as Montana. It's a heartbreaking story of a young Pikuni warrior turned vampire, dealing with the genocide of his people and the near extinction of the buffalo. An incredible read that I can't stop thinking about.

This book was amazing! From a history teachers perspective it’s historical accuracy but fantasy was amazing. The gore, the dread and horror are a must read!

Creepy, wildly gory, atmospheric, and with a stack of framing devices hardly seen since Wuthering Heights. A tale of the horrors of experiencing the colonization of the Americas as an indigenous person, stacked inside a story of vampires, revenge, and religious horror, stacked inside a kind of horror version of A.S. Byatt's Possession. The very ending section kind of took me out of everything a bit—the tone got a little too wacky and ended up being way more funny than scary, for me (your mileage may vary—for a time my mother kept a prairie dog as a pet, which may be a factor).

I have read several SGJ books prior to this, and while I liked them all, there was something about them that didn’t quite connect for me. This one, however, hit me like a punch to the gut. It’s a masterwork of suspense with imagery both gross and chilling (the coming off the cross scene especially sticks with me, it feels like a scene from Hereditary). I would highly rec this book to readers new to SGJ as well as those who have enjoyed his previous works.

A journal written by a Lutheran pastor in 1912 is discovered in a wall. Told in transcribed interviews with a Blackfeet Native American named Good Stab, it shares the narrative of his life and unveils a massacre, starting with 217 Blackfeet Native Americans dead in the snow.

This was such a well-written book, but also incredibly difficult to read as it gives depictions of how Native Americans were actually treated during the 1800s. The book was a bit slow at times, but I was thoroughly engaged with the story and kept wanting to come back for more.

Read if you like:
Vampires
Historical fiction
Revenge
Multi-POV
Multiple timelines

One day, Etsy Beaucarne is contacted by a librarian with an interesting find. A construction worker restoring an old rectory came across a journal, crumbling in his hands. The book, now in the capable hands of this trusty librarian, is the journal of Etsy's great-great grandfather. Arthur Beaucarne was a Lutheran pastor in Miles City, Montana, in the early 1900s. Etsy is thrilled; a tale from her ancestor and a way for her to achieve tenure at her university. Unfortunately for her, the tale seems unbelievable. Except it's true...

Good Stab, an Indian man who began visiting Arthur's church, desired confession. As any good pastor would, Arthur listened to his increasing bizarre tale week after week. Despite his skepticism, the more he listens, the more he believes. Problem is, if the story is true, Arthur is in grave danger.

As usual, it took me a bit to get into Jones' writing. His writing is the equivalent of enjoying a fine dining meal - each word is to be savored, to be ruminated on. It always takes me a little while to get used to the experience but once I'm immersed, I can't stop until it's done. Normally I wouldn't be interested in a historical vampire novel, but I loved this book. Arthur and Good Stab's story was fascinating, but the way it tied into Etsy's was perfect. Yet another 5 star read from SGJ. I just can't get enough of them!

Unsurprisingly, another banger from Stephen Graham Jones, this time including vampires, a lovable buffalo, and a sweeping colonial revenge story that I can’t help but to believe will be a new classic.

The story is set in 1912 American West and follows the testimony (or in this tale, gospel) of Good Stab, a Blackfeet vampire who meets with a Lutheran pastor nightly to confess his story and detail the wrongs done by him - and to him. It’s Interview with a Vampire meets Deadwood, but there’s so much more to it.

Let’s start with the vampires. It’s hard to mine new material out of this classic monster, but Jones has done just that. The monster here shares the usual vampire flair (fangs, blood sucking, immortal, etc.), but adds a consequence to the feeding. The more of something they consume, the more they assimilate their prey. Not just the appearance of humans, either, it’s anything they consume. In this vampire origin story, what starts with the usual new-vampire promise of “I’ll just hunt animals” like buffalo and deer result in the beginnings of horns and fur. You are what you eat, quite literally. This fits so well in a story of revenge and western expansion. Feeding on the white oppressors enough leads to being indistinguishable from those same villains. And more tragically with Good Stab, keeping his Blackfeet identity requires feeding on his own people. 

Identity is a huge theme here, and not only in the story itself. The distinct voices of the three narrators was immediately impressive. After Jones’ recent, contemporary Indian Lake Trilogy it was such a treat to go back in time with both the Lutheran pastor and Good Stab, each with their own perspective and way of thinking. Structurally this back and forth was exciting and evocative, a call and response with many of the themes tackled, and really challenged the reader to reckon with who the most reliable narrator was. 

These point-of-view recollections, while effective in character building, did feel drawn out at times. Long stretches of characters lost in the wilderness (figuratively and literally speaking) were challenging, but it all leads to a conclusion that delivers a shocking, satisfying ending. Truly, hats off for this one.  As always, in Stephen we trust.

Stephen Graham Jones delivers what might be his masterpiece in "The Buffalo Hunter Hunter," a work that initially reads like meticulously researched historical fiction before revealing its horrific, beating heart.

The life of Good Stab/Blackie unfolds with such vivid texture that you'll feel the prairie dust on your skin. His relationship with Weasel Plume, the white buffalo, creates one of the book's most tender moments—while simultaneously foreshadowing the supernatural transformation awaiting our protagonist. This symbolism works brilliantly as the narrative progresses.

What makes this vampire tale so refreshing is how Jones reimagines bloodthirst through Indigenous folklore rather than European gothic tradition. While Dracula represented the aristocratic foreign threat, Jones's vampire emerges from colonization's shadows, creating a powerful metaphor about cultural preservation and survival.

Good Stab's desperate struggle to maintain his Pikuni identity, especially after his fateful encounter with the enigmatic Cat Man, adds psychological depth rarely seen in horror fiction. The transformation isn't just physical—it's a spiritual rebirth fueled by vengeance against historical injustices.

The dual timeline structure brilliantly connects threads between past and present. Those epistolary sections chronicling the Reverend's experiences create perfect counterpoints to the main narrative, gradually revealing how these seemingly separate lives intertwine in blood-soaked destiny.

For the full experience, the audiobook version is extraordinary. Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland, and Owen Teale deliver performances that heighten the emotional impact, especially during transitions between prose and epistolary sections.

If you crave horror that weaves historical trauma with supernatural elements, "The Buffalo Hunter Hunter" won't just satisfy—it'll haunt you long after the final page.

Thank you, Saga Press and NetGalley, for my free e-book!

I really struggled to get into this but once I did, it was an incredible read. Scary. Engrossing. I am glad I pushed through.

I am very much a Stephen Graham Jones fan. Especially once I listened to him read a story (he's on YouTube, currently all about this book, but you can find the author's note for this one pretty fast). His unique speaking cadence provided the rhythm to his books and unlocked layers for me. There is a blurb about this work being his masterpiece, and I may agree, but hold out hope for more surprises. But vampires do have so many layers and uses and time travel! Second only to zombies in my world. It's the medical historian in me.

One of the big plusses for me - it doesn't require knowledge of genre tropes. You can follow this if you don't know the slasher conventions, vampire books (it's kinda better if you DON'T go in with traditional vampiric expectations), etc. That said, if you have trouble following Jones and have relied on those conventions to find your footing in his past works, then you're SOL here. I cannot articulate how much I would have loved to be in that vampire seminar.

This is the story of an academic who finds relation to a Lutheran pastor in 1912 Montana. Of course, there is more to the story. That's part of the point. I especially want everyone who says their ancestors didn't x as part of the nastiness of American history to read this. But they may not get it.

Even more than hearing the confession of a Blackfoot man turned vampire by a "catman" from the Old World. Not technically a slasher, there is still tons of gore. All sorts of things die. If you have issues with death, why are you here? Move along please.

Unique characteristics of these vampires - you turn into what you eat. Race, relationship with the land, consumption, what civilization even is, the death of the bison, building and scattering of communities, a splash of eugenics. It's all here. Most central though - the violence and dehumanization of colonization. In spades. I would argue that the vampire isn't the point but a tool. Dr. Who fans, there is a bit of Ashildr's plight here. Vampires also take the long way through time. That's why the academic is the point, and I wish we had more time with her, even though I found her (or the narrator, I'm not sure) quite annoying. Overall, I found her storyline rushed.

I agree with others who recommend reading the Wikipedia of the Marias Massacre f you aren't familiar with it. If you have some basic background on the all too common narrative of the darkness of Westward Expansion (road, removal/massacre, destruction of fundamental cultural heritage piece, removal/massacre/famine, forced assimilation,) and can trust SGJ, then just let yourself go on his ride. It should all make sense by the end. If the parentheses didn't make sense, read the Wikipedia.

I had the book, but got behind in deadlines. I went outside my normal comfort zone and listened to the audio on this one. OMG this was done so well! Yay for different narrators. At the end the sound effects got a smidge cheesy, but not enough to ruin it.

This is one that will flip over in my mind often, and I'd love to somehow work into my history classes. One of my survey courses already do virtual museums on an indigenous culture framed by colonization (so it's not a bunch of arrowheads that miss the point), and this begs the same questions while standing firm in the point - indigeneaity isn't historical. It's the present and will continue to be. Just like Good Stab..

Pick up the book or audio. Then let's talk! So much to chew on.

Fantastic, phenomenal, amazing! Words can’t describe how perfect this book is. This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Usually second half of books are either better or worse than the first half but i enjoyed both parts equally. And let’s talk about that reveal with the father and Good Stab. This story had so many emotions…i was sad, angry, infuriated and also vengeful. The only other book from this author i have to compare to this one is the only good Indians and this blew it out the park.

What a fantastic Historical Horror fiction! I loved the mix of native tribe lore and vampirism in a way we haven’t quite seen it before. SGJ has such a way with blending history, culture and horror that truly make for a spooky enjoyable read. I enjoyed the different narratives, and the ending absolutely blew my mind!

Highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the narrators are fantastic!!

Thank you @sagapressbooks #sagasayscrew and NetGalley for the free ARC of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. All views are my own.

4.5 ⭐️

Wow!!! This book started out a little slowly, but when it started going, it took off and never stopped. The build-up was so good! Stephen Graham Jones weaves a masterful tale of colonization, collective trauma, culture, and horror in this visceral, epistolary style and told from the viewpoints of three distinct voices: an early 20th-century Lutheran minister; a Blackfeet man called Good Stab; and the minister’s granddaughter - a modern-day professor seeking tenure.

The novel never shies away from showing its horrors; indeed, the reader is confronted with gore, blood, strength, death, and dismemberment. It’s a novel about rage, brutality, whitewashing, and it’s unapologetic in its truth. I loved it. This was my first SGJ novel, and I was very impressed. I highly recommend.

There is more to this book than the plot of questionable-man-meets-questionable-man, horror to ensue. It is a bloody revenge saga with Old Testament levels of judgment, revenge, and punishment (who knew Christianity and vampirism had so much in common?). It is part memoir and Native American history. The humor is dark, and twisted, and the blood flows with impunity. What a fantastic book!

I will keep the synopsis short. A skinned man is found just outside of Miles City, Montana. His face is painted half black and half yellow, and his tongue has been cut out. He is covered with a white powder that instantly kills the stray dogs who feast on him. After viewing the scene, Arthur Beaucarne--a Lutheran minister—is approached by a man dressed in clerical robes. He has a long, oily, black ponytail, wears an odd pair of glasses, and keeps to the shadows. Arthur has seen the man sitting in the back pew at Sunday mass, but they have never met. He tells Arthur that he has vile sins to confess that consists of murders and the consumption of blood (men, women, and rats, for example). The man has had many names through his life. As a child, he was Weasel Plume; as a man, he was Good Stab. However, now he is known by the names of Fullblood or Takes No Scalps. He can also be called the Buffalo Hunter Hunter.

The journal Arthur keeps is the crux of the book. The encounters alternate between his sessions with Fullblood’s titled, The Nachzehrer’s Dark Gospel, and Arthur’s observations titled, The Absolution of Three-Persons (Fullblood’s name for Arthur). The titles are significant and worth your time to investigate these word choices.

Nothing is more satisfying than reading a book that brings all the story lines together with twists and turns along the way. It is at times bloody, sad, funny, and insightful. It is refreshing to encounter a writer that doesn’t insult my intelligence; one that allows me to figure out what is going on. I have to say, this is the best book that I have read in awhile.

I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank Saga Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this deliciously bloody and satisfying novel.

Oh wow. First of all, this book was a really crazy meta layering to it... a writer reading letters written about a story a priest has heard. Second, the story itself is fantastic, an really interesting twist on the idea of a vampire. Third, a really cool historical retelling, and how history interacts with the crimes that were committed against indigenous people. I just thought this was a crazy good book, and everyone should read it!

Genuinely one of the best books that I’ve read so far this year!! This story was captivating, the audio book was amazing as well! The revenge story I didn’t even know I needed! Thank you NetGalley and SagPress for this read!!

WOW. This was so good. I love darker books, but typically struggle with gore. However, this one really felt as though those scenes were used to enhance and not just for the sake of it. They were also generally very quick, which is an issue that I have with a lot of other horror. This book definitely seems literary first. The writing style is really great especially since we hear from 3 different perspectives throughout and you can really tell the different voices. It felt a touch repetitive at the beginning of the book, but that would be my only criticism against it. The ending is more than worth it and it builds in such a great way. I feel like this book could be talked about endlessly with the messaging and themes (if you could find a book club not afraid to read it!).

Overall, really amazing and I would definitely recommend it to others. 4.75/5 stars.

This novel is much more than a vampire story. It guts you, unraveling the visceral evil of our history. If you think the vampire novel is overdone, Stephen Graham Jones reinvents the wheel.

I’m not usually a fan of epistolary novels. It took me awhile to get accustomed to the formal pretentious writing style of Lutheran pastor Arthur Beaucarne (1912). He uses vocabulary like multiloquos, obsolete, last used in the late 1700’s. His vocabulary and formal way of speaking are challenging to follow. Perhaps, Graham Jones uses these words to make us think about how the past continues to bleed into the future. How antiquated thinking continues to cycle back to the present. Beaucarne “Three Persons” is an insufferable character, well written as he should be.

The slower pace of the Beaucarne chapters are balanced by the central character, Blackfeet (Pikuni) Good Stab. His chapters are action-oriented, heartbreaking, and captivating. His way of speaking and thinking become more Napikwan (white person) in style as his character develops throughout the book. Other words are used through a Pikuni point of view, like names for animals and places, which takes some adjusting to. Once I settled into this, I was able to get into the rhythm of the novel.

I was on the seat of my pants 18% in with the start of the gory action, a battle scene where we meet the Cat Man. Good Stab battles his own inner demons too and turns his back on his spirit guide/protector, his swift-runner. Shortly after we learn that Good Stab’s village has been destroyed, based on the true events of the Marias River (Bear Creek) Massacre January 23rd 1870.

Good Stab is a complicated character. He battles his own demons. He battles the Napikwan demons. He is tender and vicious. He is a protector of Weasel Plume and the rest of the bison herd and for that I loved his character most of all.