First and foremost, thank you to the publisher for providing an e-ARC of this title. I’m a longtime fan of this author’s work, and I continue to be impressed by the way he masterfully builds suspense with every page. The creeping horror he weaves into his worlds truly sets him apart from other voices in the genre—it lingers, unsettling and immersive. Four star read

An Indigenous vampire story filled with revenge was exactly what I needed. This was so well done! Initially, I was worried about the slow pacing but once the story started to come together, I understood why we needed to slow down a bit. By the 50% mark, I could not put it down. I loved the confession style, it was such a fantastic way to .. haunt. It was so difficult to read at times, especially when Good Stab's actions directly and indirectly affected his people, animals, and land. By the end, I was filled with as much rage as him. I also really enjoyed the lore behind the vampires and never read anything like it. It is a brutal, violent, action packed, and thought provoking ride. Will definitely be reading more from the author.

Never in my life have I read a book that had me crying 5 times and then scream cheering at the end while also heavily sobbing.

GOD WHAT A BOOK. This is all I’ve been able to think about this past week as I’ve now entered the greatest book slumps of all book slumps. I will say this is now the book I wish I could read again for the first time because THAT ENDING?!!!

This is an indigenous horror novel set in 3 separate timelines. A woman in 2013, a Lutheran priest in 1912 and a Blackfeet vampire in 1870. They are all connected somehow in one of the greatest revenge plots of all time.

A masterfully woven tale of the dark damning history of America and a native man named Good Stab which all begins at the real event of the Marias (Bear Creek) Massacre in 1870 where the US army troops slaughtered a sleeping camp of almost 200 Blackfeet.

Good Stab is a vampire and he has a confession to make in 1912. You will hear his entire tale and then he will hear yours. He has been waiting, as a vampire knows how to wait patiently.

Fair warning, this is a slow start and you might have to get used to the linguistics used (names to describe animals like Dirty Face, Swift Runner, Long Legs, etc) but once it all starts to connect…get ready. This is brutal and raw and everything I could have asked for in a book to destroy me. This is dark but holds real actual historical events as well so I think if you can handle horror elements then this is an incredibly important book to read.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

I had never read a historical horror book before and I truly was mind blown by this one. This reminded me of the movie “Interview with a vampire” but with real history embedded in it. There are some major trigger warnings so be warned. The real history that’s part of this story was horrific and am glad the author brought this to light. This was by far one of the most interesting books I have read and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I want to thank @NetGalley, @SagaPressBooks, and author @StephenGrahamJones for allowing me to read this spooky story I will always remember it.

this chilling historical horror tale, SGJ introduces us to an Indigenous vampire who hunts not just for blood but for justice—retribution for the centuries of violence and erasure inflicted upon his people. Told through a brilliant multi-POV structure—Good Stab’s “confession,” a priest’s transcription, and Etsy’s discovery of her ancestor’s journal—this novel is as much about storytelling as it is about horror.

If you’ve read SGJ, you’ll recognize his signature raw and unfiltered storytelling style. However, the pace is more measured this time, allowing the symbolism and emotions to resonate fully. Real horrors such as racism, colonialism, and generational trauma coexist with fictional horrors like body horror and the paranormal, creating a horrifying harmony.

I started the book on Kindle, switched to a dual read, and ultimately finished with the audiobook. The narration by Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland, and Owen Teale perfectly captures the emotion and voice of each POV. But I’m glad I began with the ebook—SGJ’s words need to be absorbed, not just heard, because they're simply too rich and layered.

SGJ is a great writer! I loved the historical fiction component and the multiple POVs that switched Bayern past and present. The vampire aspect was also well done. It was a bit of a slow burn for me though,

I love everything written by Stephen Graham Jones so I was excited to pick up this book. The writing is indicative of the time period this book is set in, 1912, so it was more difficult for me to get immersed in the story at first. Once I was able to catch on to the writing style and the different points of view, the story captivated my interest more and more. You have to expect a certain amount of gore and violence with SGJ works, and this does not disappoint, however there is so much more depth to this story. Histories of genocide and colonialism are woven into the story masterfully. Although the subject matter can be difficult to read at times (check the trigger warnings), it is still well worth the read. I would recommend any book written by SGJ and that includes this one. Thank you Saga Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

“What I am is the Indian who can’t die. I’m the worst dream America ever had.”

A vampire story unlike any other i have read before. I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. It has a quiet type of horror element about it that when reading the scenes my skin was crawling but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the pages. There are nods to traditional elements of vampirism as well as entirely new characteristics that I found to be so creative and interesting.

This is the story of a professor named Etsy who receives an uncovered journal from her ancestor who was a Lutheran pastor, and the journal recounts a series of discussions with a Blackfoot man who claims he is a vampire. I would say this is historical horror fiction??? Is that a thing? There IS history in here! i had never heard of the Bear River Massacre / Marias Massacre before but i am of course not at all shocked that this occurred. That is one of the events this story centers on and ripples out to include so much more.

I really want to circle back and reiterate how COOL vampirism is in this book. I love vampires and really love what Stephen Graham Jones has added to the Vampire Lore here. I don’t want to spoil anything but just know that it RULES.

This is my first by SGJ and there is simply nothing like finding a new favorite author. I can’t wait to get started on his backlist.

The audiobook is also incredible, with three different narrators bringing Etsy, Good Stab, and Arthur to life. As this novel is epistolary, the narration really feels like you are reading these letters and are transported to the time that the letters were written. I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Thank you to saga press & netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Out now!!!

Jones' opus! Unforgettable and tragic in a deep and fundamental way that everyone should experience.

A professor seeking tenure in the present hopes they have found their saving grace in the recently discovered journal of their Lutheran pastor ancestor who disappeared mysteriously not long after the last entry in the journal. The pastor chronicles the visits of the titular character to his church who has had several names including Good Stab. Good Stab wishes to confess to the pastor (even though the clergyman is Lutheran and not Catholic), and he proceeds to visit the church on a regular basis with his tale becoming more horrifying and unreal each time, also making it clear that the pastor himself is deeply connected to it. The slow burn suspense of all of this culminates into an ending that is satisfyingly conclusive yet open in a way that invites the reader to figure out their connection to all of this and how to proceed knowing what we know about our shared history.

If you read Stephen Graham Jones and have not read this book, drop anything else you are reading and pick this one up. If you have never read Stephen Graham Jones, this is the place you start. Jones' Indigenous heritage is suffused throughout much of his work, and it never fails to cut deep. However, the way he masterfully weaves conventional horror and suspense with the historical horrors of the treatment of Indigenous peoples in America has never been done better in any of his previous books. How should those who visited violence on innocent people be repaid? How far down the line should it be repaid? Is it even possible that it can ever be repaid? When a horror novel leaves you with these questions, you know you have just experienced something amazing so I cannot recommend this book highly enough to readers of horror and readers of historical fiction.

Many thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for providing a pre-publication copy for review purposes. My opinions about this book are my own.

I had heard so much buzz about this book and saw that it was a monthly selection through Aardvark Book Club so I was so excited to have the opportunity to be able to read this book. Before I started reading this book I did not read any prior reviews or opinions of others so I went into this completely blind. I feel the less you know before reading this one works out much better. It starts off at a slow pace which might turn readers away but the slow burn is so satisfying that you want to keep reading to see what is taking place and happening. This book is so unique because it’s a blend of various genres, weaving horror with historical fiction and literary fiction. The mesh of genres seamlessly combine together in a brilliant way. This is not your usual typical novel and at times the story can be difficult to follow but the writing style was so distinctive and outstanding that it definitely will leave you spooked. The originality and the vivid imagery left me haunted and chilled to my bones because that’s how strong the power and brilliance of this novel is. I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

Ok, first thing I want to say is the title, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is so good. It immediately intrigued me and it’s a perfect title for this book.
Ok and now, what did I just read? This was incredible. I loved this so much. It was such a unique take on a vampire book. I have never read anything like it. I don’t even want to say too much about the vampire-ness because I feel like you should go in blind and discover it for yourself. It’s so good and so unique though.
I really loved how this book was written as well. It’s told in journal entries. An indigenous man is telling his confession to a Lutheran pastor and this pastor is writing it down for his great great great granddaughter to find much later.
Honestly, I loved everything about this book. The title, the cover, and every word written. I know this book will stick with me and I will be rereading it at some point. Do yourself a favor and read it if it’s a genre you enjoy!
Thank you so much to Saga Press for the eARC.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones is raw, vicious and heartbreaking.
are you a monster because of the things you do? or are you a monster because of the things that happen to you?
or is the truth somewhere in the middle?
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a hard book to read. it's hard to digest. hard to put down. hard to forget.
Stephen Graham Jones has written his masterpiece. a tale of history built on blood and suffering, a history that was buried and silenced. a history that cries out from the very earth from which it was buried.
the things we were taught in school were not the things that happened in the settling of the West.
Good Stab tells how his people were slaughtered and the horrific revenge he extracts from those who he perceives as guilty.
his revenge is maniacal and one for the ages.
5 stars out of 5.
highly recommended.

A slow-burn, gore-filled tale set against the back drop of the historical horrors that were committed against native people. A vampire on a quest for vengeance against those who partook in a massacre against the Blackfeet tribe. Gorgeous prose, complicated characters, and a thought-provoking perspective on the colonization of the indigenous people of North America.

Following in the footsteps of Anne Rice's "Vampire Chronicles," Stephen Graham Jones offers a blood-curdling expansion of vampire lore set in 1912 Montana. Through a slow-burn historical epistolary style, readers are immersed in the tragic tale of revenge of Good Stab. Graham Jones methodically develops his characters, ensuring a horrifyingly impactful payoff for those who persevere the story’s slow pacing. Fans of Graham Jones and other classic vampire tales will delight in unique carnage of Good Stab’s tale; but newcomers may struggle with the tediousness of the journey.

dnf - writing style not for me. I have enjoyed some SGJ books in the past such as the only good indians. the mix of the historical setting and extremely descriptive writing style makes it hard for me to get drawn in

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a historical fiction novel that weaves the genocide of Native Americans and the ravaging of their land into a horror story with a vampire seeking out revenge.

In the American west, 1912, the diary of a Lutheran priest is found. Inside he dutifully records his encounters with Good Stab, who recounts his life as a vampire seeking revenge in the fields of the Blackfeet reservation.

When I heard the premise of this book I was absolutely sold. I have been diving more into the horror genre and was excited to pick this one up.
It has Interview with a Vampire during the Westward expansion vibes.

Unfortunately, this one just didn't quite work for me and ultimately I did not finish it at 50 percent. With the prose, I found it difficult to get through and often found myself having to reread the paragraph I just read. And before I knew it, I would be dozing off. I understood what was happening, but it took me twice as long to read it and comprehend. I did find myself thinking that perhaps this book was a bit beyond me.

I think I would have continued reading and finished it despite the prose being more elevated than what I typically read. However, I lost all interest after the scene with the sexual assault. While brief, it felt unnecessary and did not add anything to the story, beyond brutality.

The storytelling was done well, but I didn't find the story to be engrossing and I was rarely fully immersed, mostly due to the writing style. It is a slow burn and the book reads way more like a literary fiction novel with deep meanings.

I'd likely try another book from this author, but this one just wasn't for me.

TW: extreme depiction of gore, graphic violence, death of animals, death of children, rape

Thanks to NetGalley & Saga Press Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thanks to Saga Press and Stephen Graham Jones for this gifted copy.

Okay, confession time: I’ve read SGJ before and wasn’t sure he was for me… but this book? This one sank its teeth in and didn’t let go. Sometimes giving an author a second chance is the best decision you can make. 🤩

🦬𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
This isn’t your typical vampire tale. “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” is a gritty, blood-soaked blend of historical fiction 🏜️, gory horror 🩸, and Indigenous storytelling 🪶. Set against a 1900s Wild West backdrop, the diary-style format pulls you into the mind of a character you won’t forget.

The horror? Not supernatural in the usual sense. It’s rooted in real history, colonial violence, and Indigenous culture, making it feel all the more terrifying. 🪓🩸

🦬𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
🧛 Vampires, but not how you’ve seen them before
📓 Diary-style narration
🤠 Gritty Wild West setting
🪓 Blood, guts, & historical truths
🪶 Indigenous horror rooted in reality

🦬𝐇𝐨𝐰’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠?
It takes a second to adjust to the voice and style—but once I did, I was completely hooked. The tone feels so raw and authentic.

🦬𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭?
Absolutely YES. If you love vampires, Indigenous literature, or horror that cuts deeper than just scares—this one’s for you.

🖤 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟:
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Cherie Dimaline, Paul Tremblay

𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐝: Bleak 🖤 | Brutal ⚔️ | Reflective 🤔

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
🧛 Unique vampire horror
📚 Literary horror with meaning
🏜️ Western gothic settings
🩸 Graphic, gritty scenes
✍️ Experimental formats

More like 4.5 stars. In the new novel by Stephen Graham Jones, horror rides the High Plains in the form of the Cat Man. He's an ancient, vampiric creature whose escape sets off a decades-long blood feud with Good Stab, a Pikuni Blackfoot man cursed into vampirism. Told through three interwoven narratives (modern-day academic Etsy, her ancestor Pastor Arthur in 1912, and Good Stab himself) this novel spans generations, geographies and genres. The narrative structure can feel a bit unwieldy at times, and certain sections drag, but Jones's ambition is undeniable and ultimately, this is a very good book. Easily among his best work after four consecutive, exhausting, slasher novels.

What sets this vampire story apart is its stunning realism. Good Stab isn’t a noble dude. He's a shape-shifting survivor, cursed to absorb the traits of what he feeds on, be it animal or human. His conflict with the Cat Man mirrors the broader violence inflicted on Indigenous people during the westward expansion. This includes the 1870 Marias Massacre, when Army troops killed nearly 200 unarmed women, children and elderly members of the Blackfeet Nation. This book is filled with supernatural horror occurring alongside the grim, traumatic history brought about by US colonization. SJG's signature mix of history, horror, and never-forget historical perspective is as sharp as ever.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a blood-soaked reckoning that reimagines the vampire myth through an Indigenous lens. Dealing with a few slow passages is well worth the effort for the excellence in this book.

This is a DNF for me. I was really enjoying at the beginning, but as I went I found a hard time following the narrative structure. While I’ve heard many love it, it just hasn’t hit me the way I was hoping for. Neither character is very likable and I just found myself not really caring about the fate of either. I will read more from the author though, because I can tell he is very talented. This story didn’t hit me right, I may try again in the future. Thank you for the ARC and I hope this book is a huge success from the author, I certainly feel my opinion is in the minority.