Stephen Graham Jones is out here freaking me out with things I never thought I needed to fear, like the silhouette of a woman whose head isn't quite right, glimpsed through the oscillating blades of a ceiling fan. His use of the present tense, usually a huge pet peeve of mine, here works perfectly to pin the poor hapless reader in the immediacy of the mounting wrongness and terror that his various narrators feel. I think that something got a little lost for me in the middle of the book, as I'm not quite sure how (view spoiler) but my confusion didn't detract from my open-mouthed horror at just how wrong these men's lives went in an instant, not from being absolutely wrong out by the end.

Good people who do a bad thing and end up paying for it for the rest of their lives (or with their lives) is a plot device that always pulls me in. Add the elements of increasing horror and dread, and you have an intimate and, at times, darkly humorous scary story. The intertwining of old Native tales with current life on and off the reservation for Native Americans brings a fresh and unique perspective to a story of supernatural revenge.

Unpopular opinion alert...I didn't like this one much. The Elk Head Woman was creepy enough but the story just didn't come together for me.

This is such an odd thing but I both liked and disliked this novel. On one hand, it's totally unlike anything I've read before, horror or no, and has a very unique writing voice to it. But on the other side, I just couldn't connect with the characters and what was happening to them. I think it's a sign that I, as a reader, am just not clicked in enough to the speculative side of things because the other reviews are mainly positive. The largely positive response from others is why I'd still recommend it to horror and speculative fiction fans even though it didn't grab me.

Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I'd like to thank them, the publisher Gallery Books, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

For me, this book was a great reservation story but not a scary horror novel, so I found myself at a 3-star rating.

A perfect story of revenge that will appeal to longtime fans and those who will become fast followers upon publication of The Only Good Indians. Our protagonist is a Native American named Lewis whose lyrical inner monologue drives the bulk of the narrative, shifting between the present day and the recollections of a past hunting trip with his friends. The story unfolds quickly and with the bardic charm, and biting commentary, that help set SGJ's writing apart.. This book is a slow burn as the circumstances surrounding that fateful hunting trip consume Lewis and draw the reader along until we crash, full force, into the final act. The Only Good Indians demonstrates again that SGJ is a deft writer of the revenge/slasher horror genre thoroughly explored in The Last Final Girl.

This was a DNF for me. I went in not entirely knowing what to expect. A horror novel, perhaps centered around Native American culture. I'll admit, I was curious because the cover and title was bouncing around the bookstagram community. What I got instead was a rather dry bundle of stereotypes. The second Lewis confesses his great sin to the new girl at work and his (white) wife walks in on the moment of solidarity they share, as displaced Native Americans, I knew that was it. This great cultural equalizer between two children of rival tribes belittled into a joke. The joking tone throughout just put a bad taste in my mouth. A man is beaten to death after a ghost elk destroys some cars - and it's shrunken to a headline. I couldn't continue with this tone.

I wanted something scary, something gory. Instead I got something very sad and not substantial.

I have never read any of Stephen Graham Jones books but he is a great storyteller.

The story has a back and forth of present and flash backs of Lewis. i couldn't put it down and was so invested in this book about four friends being chased by an entity. I loved how we got Native American representation since we don't get that often or any especially in horror. this book was brutal and heart breaking yet it gave me some sort of peace/hope and i really loved it.

There's been a lot of hype around this book...and I absolutely love horror. So I couldn't wait to sit down and read this. Then I started it...and it was slow...and the writing style was hard to get into...and I didn't really care about the characters...and at 25%, when still absolutely nothing of "horror" consequence had happened yet...it became a DNF for me. Take this review with a grain of salt. A lot of people are loving it. But you can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time...and that's the case with me here, sadly.

This was a spooky, chilling read. The story exists on multiple levels of horror, including Native lore, treatment of Native Americans, and a straightforward horror story. The story is told through multiple voices, including the monster’s perspective, in very much a stream-of-consciousnesses way. At times it was a bit tricky to follow, particularly when the author got very detailed about building a motorcycle or playing basketball, things of which I have no personal knowledge, but this might not be difficult for other readers.

Mostly, I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension and really not knowing how this story was going to end, with either a sad or happy ending. I think the ending, personally, was satisfying, if a little bittersweet. I think fans of dark and gritty stories will enjoy this one, though there’s a lot of introspection and internal struggle that add a layer of thoughtfulness to the story as well, so I think this story could reach a wider audience.

I was super excited that Netgalley approved me for The Only Good Indians but this one fell flat for me. There’s tons of raving reviews so don’t listen to me and not read it. I will say, this is a unique story and it’s definitely unlike anything I’ve ever read. Sadly, I was bored over half the time and wanted to DNF but wanted to push through because I thought my mind would be blown. Something about the writing didn’t sit well with me, it was a little confusing. Also, this was extremely graphic with dogs and I hated that. This wasn’t for me unfortunately.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher!

Thanks to Netgalley and Saga Press for sending me a review copy!

Stephen Graham Jones has been on my list of 'authors I need to read but haven't yet' for some time. 'Mongrels' is frequently recommended to me and with my love of Lycanthrope books, I should've read it by now, but just haven't.With 'The Only Good Indians,' I was excited for it for a number of reasons. Growing up in the middle of nowhere there was two things that were always present - hunting and CBC. My Grandfather had a trap line for many years and when logging wasn't paying for all of the bills, the trap line would cover the difference by selling the pelts to local traders and companies. As well, hunting played a big role by stocking the freezers and when it got too cold to be outside or even to drive the half hour into the nearest town, we would have food. My Grandfather and my Dad always told me that you used all of the animal and what you couldn't use, you gave back to the land as a thank you.The CBC was a godsend. We didn't get satellite access until I was almost in High School, which meant for almost a decade we had three channels. CBC, CTV and The Knowledge Network. CBC gave me shows like 'The Raccoons,' 'On the Road Again' and 'Hockey Night in Canada.' But my favorite show was 'North of 60.' A drama about life in the far North in Canada in a small Native town. These two components came back in full force with 'The Only Good Indians.'

What I liked: This was a fantastic blend of indigenous mythology and real world issues. We follow along as four men hunt some Elk in an area where they are not allowed to enter. When a specific Elk is brought down, a spirit begins to take its revenge on the group.Jones did a fantastic job of creating palpable tension while infusing the narrative with social issues. It made me uncomfortable a number of times, as racial and stereotypical moments arrive and Jones did such a great job of digging in during those times. This is a book to make you stop and think, to question each scenario as it happens.
The hunting scene and revisits were just fantastic. An Elk is one of the scariest animals out in the wild. Having both hunted them but also seen them rush and attack an unsuspecting person, they are an animal that brings immediate dread to many people who know just what they can do. Jones walked that line of letting us know just how vicious they can be, but also how protective and nurturing they are.
Throughout, basketball plays a predominant role. It is the light or the beacon for some of the characters. Their way out of their situation. As I mentioned earlier, 'North of 60' was a show I watched frequently and that theme of 'trying to get out' was a running plot point. I use that show as my own reference point to this story because, while it is a commonly known issue for many Indigenous people, it is an issue frequently swept under the rug in most fiction and cinema releases. I found a connection with the use of sports, though, to try and get out. While I am a white Canadian, where I grew up, there was a built in mentality of 'this was as good as it gets.' To be born and raised there, then live there for the rest of time. To work in forestry or tourism and that was it. I latched onto sports as my way out. I didn't drink or party once I turned 16. It was a strange time, but it let me get it, even if it did alienate me from many of my former friends.  Jones weaved that narrative in time and time again and it really allowed the characters to jump off of the page.

What I didn't like: Similar to another book I read recently, I found the basketball scenes sometimes felt like it went on a bit longer early on. The scene near the end was absolutely necessary, but at the beginning I didn't connect as much with it.Additionally, there are some fantastically shocking deaths early on. Unexpected. I wished there would've been a way to have them happen later on so that it would've delivered even more of a gut punch.Lastly - as I mentioned, I am a white Canadian. I am male and at the time of writing this, 38. This made it a bit odd to laugh at some of the humor Jones peppered throughout. Don't get me wrong, the banter and character relationships were fantastic, but it's an odd thing to laugh along with Indigenous specific humor at times. I may very well be messing up what I'm trying to say here, but I hope whoever is reading this understands what I'm trying to say!

Why you should buy it: Stephen Graham Jones has crafted a creepy, slow burn that grew under my skin like a grub. The story kept growing and wiggling away as I read it and at times you can feel Jones put his foot on the gas, only to pull it back off and then ramp it up again. I'm so happy to finally have read Jones and I'll be definitely looking to dive in 'Mongrels' soon. For people who see this book all over social medias and on 'must read' lists published - there's a reason it's here.
It's damn good.

*This review will feature on Kendall Reviews! *

I knew I would like this book, and I was not disappointed upon actually reading it. Part horror, part social reflection, Stephen Graham Jones creates an immersive world with engaging characters that had be anxiously flipping pages, waiting to find out what happened next. I enjoyed the cycling POVs of the men who are haunted by their past, and the interludes showing the insights of the entity - the Elk Head Woman - only added to the narrative. I'm not always a fan of multiple POVS. However, in this case, I think it truly added to the tension and thrills of the story and very much so seemed like a nod to narrative structures of classic slasher films. Overall, an intense read, good for horror and non-horror fans alike.

Where to even begin with this review? I absolutely loved The Only Good Indians, but I can’t help feeling that I’m not the right person to write this review. So much of this story is wrapped in what it’s like being an Indigenous person in today’s society, an experience I haven’t faced, that I don’t feel like my voice on this novel is the one that should really matter. I hope I can do justice to this phenomenal book with the words below.

Even as an outsider to Blackfeet culture, this story was absolutely gut wrenching. There tends to be a lull between the scenes of truly gruesome horror, but those lulls have terrors of their own. From encounters with police, concerns about fitting in with white society, and attempts to stay rooted in tradition without falling prey to stereotypes, this novel touches on the every day struggles that Lewis, Gabe and Cass face even before the “real” horror of the novel sets in. And the monster at the centre of the plot is not exempt from this perspective either. She is their transgressions against their tribe made flesh.

I adored this book, and I would definitely recommend it even if horror isn’t your usual genre. This isn’t your typical horror fare. It’s important to know going in that it WILL be a slow burn and it WILL deal with some pretty heavy subject matter, but that only makes the story all the more heartbreaking and insidious.

This is an amazing, impactful, and gripping book! It hit me in the gut multiple times; each time with more power and emotion than I expected. I know that I've read short stories by Jones before but this was my first novel by him. And it was incredible. I tried to sum up the plot to a couple friends while I was reading it but got weird looks from them. A "what the hell are you reading?" kind of looks. So I'm going to try a different approach here. The story is about a bunch of friends who in their youth do something they shouldn't. Then some years later, something happens to make them rethink what they did. It's vague. It fits the trope of many horror novels and movies. It sounds easy to forget or skip. Don't! The story will get you. Jones provides an excellent tone throughout the book. You feel what it is like to be one of the friends; the details of their American Indian lives are splayed out on the page for you to absorb. This sets the mood quickly and pulls you into the story. I thought I knew where the story was going when the pacing suddenly picked up and slammed me into the wall. I had no idea that "pivot" at about 40% of the way through was coming. I was stunned. I was lost as to what was next. The story continued and I saw the new pieces of the puzzle. I understood more and was again sucked into their lives. Then the second "pivot" at about 80%. That one left me in tears. Needless to say, the rest of the book was read in a blur. The ending left me drained. When I finished the book, I thought the story was about revenge. Then not too long after, I realized it was more about righting wrongs, fixing mistakes. Now, as I'm writing this, I wonder if it's about family and love. I suppose it's all about your point of view and perspective. A fitting conclusion for the book. I cannot recommend this book enough.

The Only Good Indians is the second book, after Mongrels, I have read by Stephen Graham Jones and he has moved up in rank as one of my new favorite contemporary urban fantasy/horror authors. The Only Good Indians is unlike anything I’ve read before, yet familiar and its richness of myth and legend. Like Mongrels, it deals with transformation, revenge and fate. Scores are settled both by acts of violence and peaceful acceptance. Class warfare and societal oppression are clocked in folklore. This book is riveting, complex, thought-provoking and unforgettable.

Definitely, this book is not for everyone. I am not sure it is for me either, but I chose it from NetGalley totally missing the part about it being of the horror genre, which I normally avoid. I started the book and when the horror part came, it was a bit of a shock, to say the least. I had to decide if I was going to continue reading or let it go, so since I had already dipped my toe in, I thought I'd read a little further before deciding. An hour passed in no time. There was more shock and gore, and I was fully immersed in the book (while a couple characters were immersed in blood).

Not at all what I expected and not sure what the message was, but I am taking an uneducated guess that the author maybe thinks it's not a good idea to ever hunt illegally or kill more game than allowed. Also never underestimate the power of any soul, living or dead, to exact revenge. The lifestyles of present-day American Indians cannot be ignored here. You will not predict the ending unless maybe you regularly read horror and crave blood and gore.

I think this is supposed to be a horror novel, but I felt very distant from Lewis, who is the person telling the story. The book starts out strong when Lewis’s friend, Ricky, sees an elk banging up cars and trucks in a parking lot outside a bar. Ricky has been drinking, and when a bunch of white men see an Indian and all the busted up tailpipes, they beat him to death.

The rest of the book is told from Lewis’s perspective. He is haunted by an elk he’d shot years earlier along with Ricky and two other men. To the reader, to Lewis’s wife, to others, it just seems like he’s losing his mind.

The writing is good, but the story didn’t work for me.

Two of the most important types of rules are legal ones and moral ones. Four young men broke both during a hunting trip ten years ago-- illegally hunting in an area reserved for elders, and one of their kills being a young pregnant elk. When the last of her meat is discarded a decade later, her spirit rises, aching for the revenge of her calf-- and she plans to return the favor in a manner as gruesome as her own death. This novel is an intensely wild ride, and it's good I had my face mask on, because the shock was written all over me. Truly, all the way until the very end, I was floored by the events and intricacies in Jones' story. Grotesquely captivating.

I don't think I was the right reader for this book or probably more likely, this author. I have read one other book by Stephen Graham Jones and I also didn't care for it. I objectively think that his writing is excellent and beautiful but I also don't feel like I connect with his stories. If "too literary" is a critique, then that's what I'm going to go with. I firmly believe that this book is very good and that my lack of enjoyment is on me and not the author.