Stephen Graham Jones brings such quiet rage to the page with his historical fiction writing and it floors me every single time.

The way he has envisioned vampirism is uniquely masterful in this story. I found the methods and the logistics of it so incredibly fascinating. I wanted to really take my time with this book, and when I missed anything, I would have to go back and take in every single page.

Found within the walls of a demolished building, a very old journal is found. Next of kin is located and Etsy Beaucarne is the new owner of this blood-soaked piece of history. This may just be her ticket to progressing her collegiate career…

Inside this journal tells the story of her great-great grandfather and his encounter with an Indian man with an unbelievable story… one filled with bloody revenge.

“What I am is the Indian who can’t die. I’m the worst dream America ever had.” (quote taken from the unfinished arc)

I found this line to be incredibly powerful!! This whole book was amazing from start to finish. Stephen Graham Jones always writes so SMART! Nothing is done without purpose and it hits so hard every time.

This was phenomenal and I highly recommend it!

May be biased but this is going to be my book of the year. SGJ at his finest and possibly scariest? I would never consider myself a historical fiction fan but SGJ strapped me in and I was (turned). Love everything about this book cannot wait to have that beautiful HC on my shelf!

⭐️: 3.5

This was one of my many anticipated reads for 2025 and I’m so thankful to have received an arc for it🙏🏼 the premise was very intriguing, I love historical fiction and when you add a Native American vampire revenge element into it? Count me in! This would have been a 4 star for me if it wasn’t so slow😣 I have never read any books by SGJ before but I’ve heard his writing style isn’t for everyone so maybe it’s just a me issue. But the storyline and story telling was great. A hard read for sure since this is based on real life history. (except from the vampire aspect) I found Good Stabs part of the book really eventful and there was so much emotion when it came to his chapters but when it was the pastors chapters, that’s when I caught myself getting a bit bored. It was just too long, it felt like I was pushing through a lot of the time to get to the end, but I didn’t want to dnf because I wanted to actually finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an eARC copy of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones.

Once again, Stephen Graham Jones does not disappoint and is certainly a mast of his craft. It has been a while since I've enjoyed a vampire story, despite being a bit of a slow burn, the diary remnants draw you in until the very last page. Even if you wanted to to read the entire book in one day, this is certainly a book to savor over many days. It is certainly sad and gruesome, but something to expect of Stephen Graham Jones.

Omggggg yessss!! I loved this book! I’ve already said I’m going to read everything Stephen writes because his books are just so freaking good!! Highly recommend!!

Standing ovation to Mr. Stephen Graham Jones for this absolute BANGER of a horror novel. Indigenous horror is probably my favorite sub-genre and Jones is the king of it. TBHH is an epistolary story following 2 timelines and 3 POVs, which my pea brain would usually reject but it was executed so seamlessly in this novel.

As with classic SGJ style, this is a slow burn where Good Stab’s narrative goes from 0-400. His style of storytelling is so unique to him and I urge folks who are new to it to truly sit with it and learn from it.

This is an entirely fresh take on vampire horror and I am still thinking about the intricacies that are presented. Expect glaring commentary on the nature of evangelical indoctrination, settler-colonial legacies carried through generations, Native strength and resilience, and some truly chilling and heartbreaking revelations.

I’d recommend The Buffalo Hunter Hunter for anyone seeking a fresh take on vampire horror, folks who can make space for fiction that also educates, and to those who enjoy a Biblically satisfying retribution arc.

And remember kids, you are what you eat! 😉

And just like that I have a new favorite vampire book. 🤩

Stephen Graham Jones is a brilliant writer. This is only my second time reading his work, and I am so glad that I chose to tandem read with the audiobook. SGJ’s storytelling requires more from me as a reader, but the focus and attention to detail pays off!

Told through multiple points of view across time, I appreciated the distinct speech of the characters. It was incredible to experience the switch in dialogue as the different narrators told the story. The production and performance in the audiobook is top-tier. I highly recommend this format for readers.

I’m anticipating that this will be in my top horror reads for the year. And this will definitely be a book that I re-read in the future.

Read if you enjoy:
🦬 unforgettable characters
✍️ stories that span across time
🦬 books with multiple narrators
✍️ historical horror with heavy symbolism
🦬 slower-paced novels that are difficult to put down
✍️ themes around identity, guilt, sorrow, and revenge

This book will connect well with readers who enjoy slow-burn historical horror novels rooted in true events. SGJ uses extensive cultural research to shed lights on the shameful portion of America’s history with the massacre of Native American men, women, children and the wasteful destruction of the buffalo population.

The story is told via a Lutheran preacher’s diary entires, and his transcription of interviews with Good Stab, who shares his life in a series of confessional visits. There is a third POV, a contemporary descendent of the preacher, who has discovered the diary and is hoping to solve the mystery of their ancestors’ disappearance while also capitalizing on bringing this historical story to the public to gain professorship tenure.

The unique storytelling devices was where I had difficulty in staying invested into the story. It is brilliantly done, and Good Stab’s voice was grounded in cultural and linguistic choices of the period, but I had difficulty with the vocabulary and fully envisioning the story. The bloodshed, body count, and violence recounted was definitely in alignment with SGJ’s other books. The atmosphere and way the story slowly built up definitely had the ‘creep factor’ and I would find myself thinking about the story despite not wanting to dive back into the narrative.

This might be the hardest review I’ve had to write because I can appreciate and value the brilliance of SGJ’s craft, while also not ‘enjoying’ the novel. Thank you to Saga Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A manuscript from 1912 is uncovered in a wall of a demolished church. After it is delivered to an archive, Professor Etsy Beaucarne begins reading, hoping that the story might lead to her tenure. The manuscript is a diary written by her great-great-great grandfather, a Lutheran pastor Arthur Beaucarne who lived in Montana at the turn of the century. The Lutheran pastor interviews a Blackfeet Indian, a man named Good Stab, who keeps attending his church services. Good Stab has lived a long and interesting life, but may be seeking more than your average confession. He may want... revenge...

Horror fans and historical fiction readers alike will revel in this masterpiece. Reading Dr. Jones' afterward, it clear that he drew inspiration from some of the great works of literature, though the most apt comparison was his thanks to the movie The Fly (1986). I could see a lot of Brundelfly in Good Stab at times. While SGJ's humor and wit is always peppered through his books, this is the most serious and very different from anything else I've read by him. However, different is not bad! The Buffalo Hunter Hunter shares a place with Tananarive Due's The Reformatory as two of the best horror novels written in the 21st century. Stephen Graham Jones is my favorite author and this might just be his best book yet.

As soon I got approved for this book, I started reading it! A vampire story set in one of the most desolate times in history? Stephen Graham Jones does such a wonderful job weaving the bleakness of a gothic vampire tale into the tragic history of The Marias Massacre. If you're not familiar with this piece of history, I would encourage you to do a little bit of research to better understand this story. I read that in some reviews before I started reading and I'm so glad I took that advice.

This story is a character narrative through and through. The story serves as a dark atmosphere for the characters that are fully fleshed out on page. SGJ is a master at prose and eliciting visceral reactions when his pen is put to page. Please check your trigger warnings are there are elements of death (a lot of death) and gore (a lot of gore), mixed in with vengeance.

This is kind of like a story within a story because you have Etsy in present day Montana reading the written words of her ancestor who is transcribing the confessions and tales of this vampire.

If you have liked SGJ in the past, I feel as though You'll really enjoy this entry into his list of works as well!

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones had all the makings of a book I’d love: historical horror, Indigenous mythology, and a fresh take on vampire lore. But as much as I wanted to be captivated, I found myself struggling.

The novel blends historical fiction with horror, unearthing the real-life horrors of the Marias Massacre of 1870, where over 200 Blackfeet individuals were slaughtered by the U.S. Army, and the near-extinction of buffalo that followed, leading to famine among the Pikuni. However, this is more than a historical reckoning. An otherworldly twist merges vampire mythology with Indigenous storytelling, resulting in a bold and intricate narrative.

Told through diary entries, the story moves between timelines. In 2012, Etsy Beaucarne discovers the lost journal of her great-great-grandfather, Arthur Beaucarne, a Lutheran minister. His 1912 writings transcribe a confession from Good Stab, a Pikuni Blackfoot man turned vampire by a creature known as Cat Man. Good Stab’s story is where the novel shines. His transformation, his revenge, and the fresh take on vampire lore were compelling. However, the way the story unfolds made it difficult to stay engaged.

SGJ’s intricate prose demands full attention, but instead of being immersive, it often felt overwhelming. Arthur’s diary at times bogged down the momentum rather than enhancing it. While Etsy’s sections were engaging, much of the book was a slow, heavy read. I found myself rereading portions just to keep track of what was happening. The use of Native terminology added authenticity but also made it hard to keep names and references straight. That is on me as a reader, but it contributed to my sense of detachment.

The biggest hurdle was the pacing. Portions seemed to drag, repeating elements that dulled the impact rather than strengthening it. When the story picked up, the horror elements, particularly Good Stab’s transformation, were gripping. Too often, though, I found myself skimming, waiting for those moments to return.

Despite my frustrations, I admire SGJ’s ambition. His ability to intertwine historical trauma with horror is powerful. However, as much as I respect what this novel set out to do, the execution did not fully work for me. If you love SGJ’s style and do not mind a slow, heavy read, you might have a better experience. I wanted to love this, but instead, I was left wanting more.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jones has been on a roll lately. One would think the quality would suffer after three books in two years, but they've gotten successively better. Though not quite as breezy as his two prior novels- the subject matter would hardly allow it in this case- Jones has written an intricate exploration of vengeance and generational guilt. He even adds new depths to monster-movie tropes, giving them new life, so to speak.

Am I glad I read it? This is a stupid good book, says the vampire lover. So good, in fact, that I've had a hard time trying to figure out how to review it beyond *incoherent screaming*.

My favorite kind of horror is social horror, in which the horror elements derive from the horror of some social evil (here, settler colonialism and Indigenous genocide via the eradication of buffalo). Combine that with one of the most unique takes on the vampire—with plenty of recognizable traits but viewed through a Blackfeet lens, with concomitant Blackfeet religion—and you have a book that could hardly be more tailor-made to my interests if you tried. There's a special place in my heart for books that use vampires to explore colonialism, and this one is particularly interesting because it's the only one I've read where the vampire is not the (tool of the) colonizer.

This was a deeply challenging read, both in content and style, which means that instead of flying through it like I assumed I would, I actually spent nearly a week and a half reading this. The graphic depictions of fields of skinned buffalo, poisoned so their carcasses could not be used and left to rot, were particularly, gruesomely compelling. In terms of style, SGJ writes each of the three perspectives—The Fullblood, Arthur, and Etsy—are written so wonderfully distinctly to represent their different perspectives. The chapters from The Fullblood's and Arthur's POVs were challenging because of SGJ's choice of diction, but I found that contributed to the experience rather than taking away from it.

The story slowly unravels, intentionally thanks to The Fullblood's deliberate verbal torture of Arthur, but the culmination of the 1912 arc is satisfyingly horrifying and the circling back to Etsy's 2012 timeline so nicely ties it all together with the question of bloodline culpability.

This book is a treasure, and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.

Also: What a title!

Rating: 🖤 (loved)

Major thanks to Saga (S&S) and Netgalley for an advance copy of this title!

A woman on the verge of losing her job is presented with the journal of her great great grandfather, a pastor who took "confession" from a vampire from the Blackfeet Tribe. Sounds like the set up to some off colored joke, doesn't it? What it really is, though, is the story of colonialism, capitalism, commercialism, and horror. Good old fashioned horror! Though, once again, it seems the reader is cheering for the "monster." Or, is the supposed monster the actual monster? And, with this author, you also get that on point sense of humor. From the arc I received, "What I am is the Indian who can't die. I'm the worst dream American ever had." This thoughtfulness is evident throughout the book. Not evident in the quote above is how most of the writing style has an old fashioned feel to it, appropriate to a book that mostly takes place over 100 years ago. But, between that and the Native American terms for things and speaking style, sometimes the story was hard to follow. At times, it almost felt like I was reading Edgar Allen Poe. Yes, a compliment, but better read out loud and I couldn't read a 450ish page book out loud to myself! This is a long book. It is complicated and deep and thought provoking and bloody and heart breaking and so very very much worth the read!

A hell of a take on a vampire story. I didn't really vibe with the frame narrative (of which there are two, the outermost of which being kind of unnecessary) but Jones's historical-vampire/revenge story at the core of the book is top-notch and features one of the more interesting "ways to defeat a vampire" dynamics I've seen.

A story of revenge and redemption that takes place over centuries, as vampire tales are wont to do. A horror story that is so much more where the monsters aren’t the ones with the fangs and nobody really wins. Deeply cerebral while still satisfyingly bloody, another masterpiece from Jones.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copies. These opinions are my own.

*Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the e-Arc! All opinions are my own.*

I've unfortunately decided to DNF this one. While this is through no fault of the book or the author inherently, this is my second by SGJ and I just do not vibe with his writing style. His prose is quite wordy to me, and I find that I'm getting lost in the paragraphs and I lose the plot so frequently, I have to go back and forth and it takes me so long to get through. He is so highly acclaimed and I wanted to love his work, especially as the premise of this one is incredible, but it's just not meshing well for me.

A consolation 3-stars for my ineptitude.

3.5/5
Thank you to my friends @sagapressbooks @simon.audio 🎧 #partner for the free copies of this book!

Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a masterfully written story that explores trauma, one’s identity, and some haunting parts of history. This novel, which weaves between the past and present, is a slow burn tale that requires some patience to get into. It took me a bit to become invested but by the end I am glad hung in there.

The story is set in the American West and examines the history of buffalo hunting, both literal and metaphorical, connecting violent pasts and the personal struggles of the characters. I really felt Stephen did a nice job giving me an eerie feeling with a sense of dread the whole way through. SGJ creates questions for the reader around the price of forgetting but also does it in a very slow and methodical manner that built tension and friction as the story progressed.

Buffalo Hunter Hunter felt very thoughtful and intentional and at the same time very different than his last book. This is only my second book by him so still figuring out the method to his madness! I think the audio paired with the physical book created a better environment for me to be completely immersed into this story! I am genuinely excited to see more review and thoughts from others on this one. It publishes next week so I’ll be on the lookout!

OKAY LISTEN my favorite books are ones that make me obsessively research things. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter had me up until 4 AM (partly out of obsessive curiosity and partly bc I was scared to go to sleep LOL) googling the Marias Massacre and Blackfeet religion and beliefs.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter: The diary of a Lutheran pastor from 1912 is discovered and transcribed, detailing the confessions of a man named Good Stab. The confessions are hard to believe, but as the story unfolds and secrets and bloodshed are revealed, the truth becomes impossible to deny.

This book is incredible and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was difficult to read, for sure, as the atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples made me sick to my stomach- but the emotion behind Good Stab’s actions and his deep loneliness really moved me.

Beyond the obvious unease that comes with reading a horror novel, I was struck by how complicated my feelings were towards the characters, which I believe speaks to what an incredible writer Jones is. It’s hard to create complex, thought-provoking characters, but this book does it, and does it well.

Fans of Grady Hendrix and gory horror, I highly, highly recommend this book. It was my first SGJ novel, and I will be reading more.

This one is going to stick with me for a while.

The idea is so intriguing, even to someone who doesn't like most horror. A Black feet vampire, taking revenge on the white men who are killing his people, the buffalo. Coming to the pastor to confess his tale. But it went in a different direction. What starts innocuously enough, soon becomes terrorizing for Three Persons. As Good Stab reveals more of his story, he slowly becomes more sinister.

The one thing I don't think I liked though is the great great great granddaughters story. After reading her transcription of the journal, her own tale feels a bit redundant. I understand the need for some kind of frame story for the journal, but I don't think it worked. Still though a really great book. 4.5/5 stars