Creepy , dark , twisted and very strange in one story, based on the Native American folklore Deer Woman. I do have to say that the cover kind of throw me when I first saw it because it had me wondering what the cover had to do with the story but as soon as I started to read I put that question out of my mind , because I wasn't thinking of it anymore but of the story that was giving me goosebumps and making me jump at every sound .As well as thinking there was something or someone waiting in the shadows to strike when the timing is right, and I do have to admit at the time I was reading it , it was night time, as well as storming and I was alone in my house with the lights turned off , with only my 3 dogs there with me, so that also helped set the atmosphere of the book.

Stephen Graham Jones is INCREDIBLY talented, holy heck! I love his way of blending literary realness with horror - this was beautiful written, but also terrifying. I'm not sure if this is entirely horror - there's a lot of thriller vibes to it, and then there's the magic within the story, and within SGJ's writing itself that pulls you in, keeping you entranced and flipping the pages. I loved this, everything about it, and won't stop recommending it - 5 stars!!

Great setup with wonderfully drawn characters and a steady ratcheting up of dread followed by moments of sheer horror and gore. My only complaint would be the ending, which I felt to be anticlimactic given all that came before.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC

Link to review: http://bewarethescarylibrarian.blogspot.com/2020/06/new-arrival-only-good-indians-by.html
Who doesn't love a good ghost story? That may depend on the individual and what stories they've witnessed. For every The Haunting of Hill House or The Turn of the Screw, there are a thousand examples of poorly-written, doomed-to-be-direct-to-video dreck. A good ghost story is more than just creaking staircases and jump scares. A good ghost story has real emotion, a well-laden atmosphere, and a spirit with a clear motivation, whether its malice or revenge, or even both. Adding to the list of great ghost stories is Stephen Graham Jones, whose latest The Only Good Indians shows a unique ghost story that is miles ahead of the multitude of mundane bump-in-the-night tales.
I classify this tale as a ghost story, but the antagonist isn't wearing a white flowing gown nor do they rattle any chains. The spirit that follows four Native American best friends is just as much of a character as the four men who transgressed by hunting on the wrong land. The book doesn't seem to have a first-person or third person narrator, but weaves its way through the narratives and lives (or unlives) of the four men and one vengeful spirit in such as way as to not be jarring at all. Rather, the reader becomes like a spirit that travels behind the eyes and into the minds of the various people that are tied together in this story.
The book unveils many issues, ranging from cultural identity to the strength, for better or worse, of tradition, but it also showcases Stephen Graham Jones as a top-notch storyteller. Somehow offering sumptuous description without flowery words, Jones's words maintain that tricky balance of moving the reader through the story at a quick pace while also immersing them in life on the Reservation and beyond. No character in this story feels underdeveloped or one-dimensional and when tragedy befalls them, the reader might audibly gasp in shock at the brutality and the emotion of their passing. Rare is the author who can balance between brutality and beauty, of storycraft and carnage, but Stephen Graham Jones, called the Jordan Peele of horror fiction, looks at modern issues in a way that makes everyone want to look as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC copy.

This is the second of Jones' books that I have read, I found him pretty creepy again.

I have always thought the Indians got a raw deal from the white man. Somehow, I have just started learning about the modern Indian culture and how they are still reaping that inheritance. This book goes into some of that and you can't help but feel your heart being ripped out by it.

I really appreciated having, what I think, must be traditional mythology inserted into a modern narrative. So cool! While the story dragged in places, this is what kept me going. Yes, I got properly creeped out, and I don't read that much horror, so I can't say if this original or not, but I did enjoy it.

The change in persons in the narrative really confused me at times. Maybe that was on purpose, but it made it hard to follow..

A night in a place reserved to elders of their tribe , results in an event that continues to haunt four young men. Long after the death and destruction of that night men are tormented to see things they know are not there. Ghosts are appearing and not taking no for an answer. Riveting, gory, heart stopping. All words apply here. A tale of lives changed by the focus of youth.

This book is a horror story from a unique perspective that haunts a group of friends from their adolescence, through adulthood, and for some to their deaths. Investigating how the actions of our youth can haunt and shape us is something that Graham Jones does so well, and this story is no exception. I hope for many, many more scary stories from Graham Jones to come.

This was one of the best things that I read last year. I can’t wait to read more from this author. I have already purchased a couple other works from this author. This lived up to all that was said about it.

I've heard so much about this book since it was published and had been looking forward to reading it.
I'm not sure what I expected, it's a story of four Blackfeet Indians who did a stupid thing when they were young and now it has come back to make them pay. The idea was fascinating and there was a degree of suspense and dread all through the book.
But it moved so slowly I actually found myself wanting to stop reading it, regardless of how well written the book was. There were good horror points, blood and fore to make any horror fan happy but for me the story did not become compelling until the final stand, the last 50 pages or so. If the entire book could have been as page-turning, nail- biting as the ending was I would have given 5 stars.
Thanks to Gallery/Saga press and @Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

BOOK REVIEW – THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES – General Fiction (Adult) / Horror

Four young men committed an offense against a herd of elk and contrary to their tribe. Ten years later, they've scattered, as if they can hide from their demons by putting distance between themselves. But curses don’t work that way; they can’t avoid a face-off with their past and woe to anyone standing in the way–like someone’s daughter?

Stephen Graham Jones writes scenes so vivid and full of meaning they rebound on me, returning at odd moments. And I consider why. Am I meant to look for deeper meaning? Is there a lesson for me in that scene? Yes. Of course, there is. SGJ does nothing by accident.

Some find SGJ's writing style "different." They may complain the story has moments of slow pacing. Those moments signal watch out—brace yourself—as I said, he does nothing by accident. There is something angry coming for revenge—on the way to kill every last one of them. And then the twist.

I found The Only Good Indians refreshing, terrifying, thought-provoking, and packed with images that I may recall as I die.

Thanks to Gallery/Saga Press, Pocket Books, #NetGalley, and the author of #TheOnlyGoodIndians for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback, this is it!

There's a King quality to this, where psychological torment envelops and undoes the characters, mixing heavy gore with more human-facing horror. The structure introduces something of an inequity that means certain sections shine more, and there's a sort of confused metaphor that informs everything, but it ends strongly. So sure, why not.

This story was frea-ky with a capital F. I've never in my life read anything like this. Every summer, I'm always looking for the one horror novel that will be my fun read for vacation so I was looking forward to reading this one based on all of the kudos it's gotten.

The first couple of chapters were kind of slow because I was trying to wrap my head around what was going on and had to adjust to the writer's style of writing, but by the third chapter, I was hooked.

Even after I got into the story, I was thinking, "many this story is dumb - I don't know how long I'll stick with it" I mean come on, a story about an elk who is out for revenge? Really, how scary can that be? But I was wrong. I was spooked. This was the kind of story that you really don't want popping into your head when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Was this my great summer horror read? I think so!

Overall, I'm glad I read it.

I enjoyed the first section of this book and getting to learn more about the characters and this crazy story. It really had me whirling as to what this was about and where it was going. The second portion of the book lost my interest. I had heard great things about this book and was excited to pick it up. Unfortunately the plot and writing weren't enough to keep me interested all the way through.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. I didn't care for this book. I have no issues with the content and am not bothered by horror or otherwise. I really didn't care for the author's writing style, it really didn't have a sense fluidity to me. I know I am the minority opinion and for that reason I would definitely try another book by this author.

Some excellent horror from Stephen Graham Jones. Tough at times with the many different characters. Crazy story of revenge and karma. Great for horror fans

It's official: I'm a fan of literary horror.

Especially when, as is the case with The Only Good Indians, there is humor woven in amongst the blood & gore, and the reader is never quite sure who's "good" versus who's "bad."

The tension throughout the story is palpable and perfect, and I loved the choices Jones made with regards to narration. It allows you to feel as if you're constantly slipping in & out of various characters' perspectives, which gets you into the headspace of a collective identity that our four main characters are trying so hard to embody while also keeping it at arm's length.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book! The author took me on a ride! Lewis made a choice that has haunted him for many years and now it’s back for justice. This is a story of guilt, justice and remembering that really connected me to my Native American ancestors. The Only Good Indians is a heart breaking horror story that I will return to again and again.

A few starkly brutal horror set pieces are contained within. Jones ventures close to nihilism before finally withdrawing. The structure, which floats from one character to the next, is both a surprise and a barrier to consistent engagement, as we're repeatedly asked to enter new minds and new terrain. An addendum: there are many, many, many commas in this book.

I haven't read this genre in years but when I read the description of the book, well, it kept haunting me. I requested it before it came out and didn't get it until way after, gifted by Net Galley and Gallery, thank you. This is nothing like any horror I've read before. If you want a cookie cutter horror story, well, this isn't for you. If you want something refreshingly different, grab it and read. At times, hair raising, no perfect characters, a creepy read that my mind will revisit frequently I believe. This book is not for the faint of heart. Takes a lot to 'creep' me...yup it did.

In case you haven't been paying attention to horror fiction for the past 5 years or so, Stephen Graham Jones needs no introduction.

So, I will assume you've been paying attention.

I've recently read and reviewed his newest release, My Heart is a Chainsaw (out on August 31st), and I feel the same way about that one as I did for this one: Basically, it's more smart than fun. Depending on your point of view, this is either a compliment or a detriment.

As usual with Jones's books, it's conceptually great, and for a patient reader I understand how it can be a rewarding experience. It just doesn't work for me. There are long stream-of-consciousness style passages that bog down the narrative. Over the course of a full-size novel, it wore me down.

To be fair, I am very much in the minority with this opinion. The Only Good Indians is essentially universally praised and has also recently won the coveted Stoker award.

So, am I wrong? Maybe. But I'm just here to be honest.

This review will appear at www.horrordrive-in.com