This was my first book to read by this author and I can't wait to read more! This book sucks you in from the get-go and you will find yourself thinking about the story and the characters long after you finish the book!

In The Only Good Indians, four young Blackfeet men ignore the hunting boundaries of their community and fire into an elk herd on land reserved for the elders, but one elk proves unnaturally hard to kill. Years later, they’re forced to answer for their act of selfish violence, setting into motion a supernatural hunt in which predator becomes prey.

The mysteriously supernatural Elk Head Women is out to seek revenge for that fateful day and she has come to kill. The four men at the novel's core basically accept the elk's vengeance, but Denorah, the daughter of one of the four men, refuses to believe in the need for vengeance. Can she survive?

I don't want to say too much about the plot (and I'm afraid I've said too much already) other than it focuses on each of the four Blackfeet men (as well as Denorah, the daughter of one the men) in parts and how they are being haunted both figuratively and literately by their past mistake(s), and what starts out as a slow burn of a novel, ramps into a nail-biting, frightening, and satisfying ending that suggests the cycle of generational trauma, the cycle of violence, has been overcome.

The Only Good Indians is one of best novels I've ever read in any genre. It's a violent tale of vengeance, justice, and generational trauma. But it also a tale about putting an end to cycles of such trauma, so in this sense, The Only Good Indians is a tale about hope; a tale about recovery. While it combines elements of the slasher genre (a favorite of Stephen Graham Jones), Jones ability to write authentic characters is where this novel truly shines. Jones is Native American himself, and his portrayal is meticulously detailed, and real. This gives the novel a realism that is striking and scarily good.

Stephen Grapham Jones is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Read this book. You won't regret it.

The Only Good Indians is the latest horror novel by author Stephen Graham Jones. This novel follows four American Indians whose lives have been cursed following a disturbing even from their youth. A creature bent on revenge stalks them in the dark, and the men are helpless but to reflect on the culture and tradition that got them there in the first place.

This was the first book in a long time that affected my dreams and made me genuinely scared to read at night. Normally I’m not a big creature-feature gal in books or films, but this was so much more than that and I had a blast. The pacing suffered in places and I struggled with the writing style at first, but the execution and impact it left on me far outweighed its flaws.

Positives
Well, the biggest positive is that this is a horror novel that does what it came to do. I felt paranoid, I felt scared, I wanted to do a double-check of my apartment before I went to bed to make sure there wasn’t a deer-headed woman sitting on my couch or staring at me from my balcony. When the action in this book got going, it got going and was a thrilling and wild ride.

The atmosphere, gritty brutality of the writing and the events, the slow build of suspense and dread, and heartbreaking nature of the tale all contribute to an amazing experience when it came to reading my first novel by Stephen Graham Jones. I wish I could better articulate why I like this book as much as I do, but I think it may just be more experience-based than some of other reads recently. All in all, so so good.

Negatives
Two main things kind of got me with The Only Good Indians from time to time. While these issues by no means ruined the story for me, it did make me lose a touch of immersion and extended the amount of time it took for me to finish the book. The first of these issues was pacing. I know that I read e-books at a significantly slower pace than physical books, but it took me a hot second to get through this one. Every book has its lulls, but the ones present here were especially slow and bored me quickly.

I also struggled with the writing style in this book. Admittedly, it’s been month or so since I finished The Only Good Indians so I’m not as familiar with the intricacies of the prose in this novel as I used to be, but I found it to be rather jarring at times. I don’t mind more unique writing styles if it adds to the plot or development, but I found the reading experience to be less immersive than usual. I had to go back and reread certain sentences or sections to make sense of the prose, and it took me out of the suspense or mood of the moment.

Rating & Final Thoughts
The Only Good Indians is a solid 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re a horror fan, check it out; it’s one of the few books recently that’s actually scared me. I look forward to reading more from Stephen Graham Jones – in fact, I’ve been approved for an ARC of his newest horror, My Heart is a Chainsaw, so be on the lookout for a review of that coming up!

This is my first novel by Stephen Graham Jones and to say I was impressed would be putting it mildly. His writing has such texture and grit. Oftentimes you are waiting for a novel to take it all the way and it never does. This one goes the distance.

It is bloody, brutal, fast-paced, genuine and horrifying. The nature of the storytelling feels so traditional whilst also being cutting edge. The only issue I had while reading it, which is completely a personal taste issue and nothing to do with the quality of the writing or story, was a lot of the animal content was hard for me to make it through.

I read a few of Stephen Graham Jones books and I was sort of let down with this one. I'm not sure what it was but it was missing something. I still enjoyed the journey. Thank you, Saga Press for this gifted copy.

I had to reflect for a bit after reading this book before writing a review. This book is a solid example of horror done right: it's fresh, it's terrifying, and it stays with you, refusing to let you go. I also appreciate the Native American representation, and this is one of the biggest reasons this book went on my 'Must Read' list. But I was also occasionally bored, and reading the book felt like a chore during sections that felt like slogs. I think the pace may be a bit too slow in some sections. Regardless, I still think that this book is 100% worth the investment and a perfect addition to any horror/thriller fan's bookshelf.

A fun and absolutely stunning book. I cannot wait for my high schoolers to get their hands on this novel.

THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS is a fantastic novel. An extremely well-written, thought-provoking and gripping suspense-horror novel about revenge, culture, identity, and tradition. Jones's characters are engaging, the story is chilling and stay-up-all-night gripping. Fantastic, and very much recommended. Stephen Graham Jones is a must-read author.

a rather superb novel, serious literature with blood in its veins. it will challenge a lot of readers emotionally

Many thanks to the publisher for an Advance Reader Copy of The Only Good Indians! I have always wanted to read Stephen Graham Jones work, and I am glad that I did with a couple of caveats. First of all I did enjoy the history elements of Native American Peoples and their culture and characteristics. It was eye opening, for me to put myself in the place of the characters and we feel the struggle to find the characters way in this world. Now this novel can be graphic at times, it is a horror novel after all! I enjoyed the story and the structure, I will not delve into that too much as there may be spoilers. The last item that I would mention that if you do not like animals being harmed, this may not be the book for you. In regards to animals, specifically there are graphic details that include dogs, that I did not enjoy. I won't say it ruined the story for me, but I certainly did not enjoy it. It did make me feel uncomfortable. But again, to end on a positive note, I thought the story and particularly the characters were incredibly strong and in depth. If you are not too squeamish, it is a interesting journey and fulfilling. Thank you for taking the time to read my review.!

A great book full of thrills and social commentary. After an exciting and intriguing beginning, the pacing does slow down a bit, but around half way through the book speeds back up. The concept is unique, a fresh take on monster horror. The commentary is clever and important. The commentary also is interwoven with the plot to make the overall book meaningful and terrifying. I highly recommend this book to horror lovers who want substance with their monsters.

I’m not saying this is the best horror I’ve ever read, but this is the best horror I’ve ever read. Got to love an own voices book that really delivers!

Man. This is the kind of book where after you finish it, you have to sit and stare at the wall for awhile as your brain fights to keep up. If you’re a horror fan, buckle up and dive right into this one because I still can’t get over it.

This book is about a night, ten years ago, when a group of Native American friends hunting in illegal territory reserved for only the elders of their tribe kill an entire herd of elk, including an elk that was carrying a baby. The group of friends feel bad, once they realize this particular elk is pregnant, and swear to her that every part of her will be used to honor her sacrifice. Years later, they will be haunted by their promise.

The story takes you inside the minds of these friends as they try to outrun their demons, written so realistically that often times I, the reader, became disoriented. It trapped me inside the story and did not let me go until it was over. I also liked the setting, because I know little about Native American culture, so it was nice to be transported inside of it for a little while.

I recommend this book if you like really effed up ess, like me. It was really, really good.

Stephen Graham Jones knows how to write suspense. The Only Good Indians kept me in tense anticipation, always wondering what was coming next. I will definitely be recommending this to readers looking for a smart horror/suspense novel.

Four friends are haunted by an event from their past. We follow the repercussions 10 years after an elk slaughter in a 2nd-person-narrative, which was unsettling.
I had a few moments where I had to double back to understand what was going on and there was a lot of gore (also tw for harm to dogs). The whole book was completely unsettling and creepy and cringy. I totally enjoyed it!

The best horror stories are ones that take everyday experiences and twist them and turn them into unknown things, when what by day looks completely normal, by night is distinctly uncomfortable. Stephen Graham Jones in The Only Good Indians does that with a culture that most readers might not know anything about. Four Native Americans do something wrong and the consequences follow them for the next ten years. However there is much more than a spooky creature;their knowledge of what they did wrong, even their acceptance of what is happening to them is shown through their culture and the everyday injustices they face. I had some problems with the execution of the story,however this is a very haunting fascinating piece of fiction.

Normally I would plow through a 300 page book within 2 days. This novel took about a week and not because of lack of interest. I was reading 40-50 pages a day and letting my brain catch up to what I had just read. There were thrills and twists and turns around ever page that made me put the book down and take a breath. This book will forever be a part of my personal library. I had a hard time reading this on my kindle and since I was approved after it was published I went to Barnes and Noble and just purchased it. What a fantastic, terrifying horror book.

This story is an interesting one to review. Its style changes as the reader moves through the different parts of the story, which could be a compelling and distinctive choice for some readers, and frustrating for others. The story itself is fascinating- going from a psychological thriller-type situation with unreliable narrator Lewis, to jumping between the use of 3rd person for Cass & Gabe and 2nd for the enemy stalking them, to an outright creature pursuit for Denorah at the finale.

I think it's a story I'd primarily recommend for anyone who wants a more cerebral horror/supernatural story. Definite content warning for animal death and gore.

"WHAT!? What did I just read?"
That is the mantra that played over and over in my head as I read through The Only Good Indians.
Content warning and a tiny spoiler: a dog dies -- I become very emotional reading about a dead/dying dog, and I know I'm not the only one.

For the first roughly 35% of the book, the pacing was a bit slow but I was interested, I really wanted to see where this story would go. I found myself reading paragraphs at times because I couldn't understand what was happening -- either because of words or phrases I'm unfamiliar with, or sometimes sentences that were a bit stilted. But, wow, am I glad I continued because once the action started, it did not stop. Never have I read a book that made me audibly gasp as many times as this one did. After that first gasp, I had a hard time putting the book down because that's when the horror element began to shine.

This concept of guilt linked with revenge, tied to Native American culture is fascinating. This wasn't the horror story I was expecting, but it was the story I needed.

Thank you to the author, Stephen Graham Jones, and Gallery Books for giving me the opportunity to read the eARC of The Only Good Indians.

This book held me captive from the start. What a wild ride with plenty of twists and turns. I am very glad to have been given the opportunity to read Stephen Graham Jones and look forward to future works. This one must go spoiler free. Everyone should dive in and enjoy the trip.