The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is predominantly comprised of a 1912 journal written by a pastor that is, in the present day, discovered and provided to the pastor’s great great granddaughter. The events of the novel have their roots in an actual historical event – Marias Massacre – and interwoven with the pastor’s journal are his transcriptions of the oral accounts of Good Stab, a Blackfeet man who appears to have supernatural abilities. Stephen Graham Jones’ writing is incredible as always, the plot gripped me beginning to end, and I found myself simultaneously unable to put the book down and questioning whether reading it right before trying to go to sleep was a good idea. Three Persons / Pastor Beaucarne and Good Stab are both such fascinating POVs, and the alternation between them is really effective. Definitely recommend this novel with my only caveat being that the content warnings it warrants definitely mean it won’t be for every reader.

Content warnings: colonialism, racism, violence, gun violence, murder, torture, death, grief, animal cruelty, animal death, death of a child, death of a parent, rape, child abuse, gore, blood, body horror, injury detail, forcible confinement, genocide – the violence and gore in this book is graphic, on-page, and pervasive.

I've always been a vampire girl, so I was beyond delighted to see that one of my favourite authors was coming out with a vampire story. Every vampire is more than just a vampire, and Jones truly made them his own in The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Thematically, this book is a five star and it's laden with layers of meaning. The magical realism and almost surrealist moments were sufficiently trippy, which I mean as a compliment. I always admire how he's able to blend genres so well. Additionally, all the best Jones stories have at least one moment, either so tragic or so beautiful, that I am (or nearly) moved to tears and this was no exception. However, I do think something was missing for me pacing wise. I almost forgot at times that I was reading a manuscript and that there was a present day narrative happening, since we spend so much time away from Etsy. We do already alternate (mostly) between Good Stab and Three Persons, and she certainly has her say in the end, so I can't be too mad at it. I just think more of her presence would've tied the stories together throughout the book and helped propel the narrative forward in my mind.

I love vampire stories so much. I don't care if they vampires in question sparkle, or can shape shift, or are complete psychopaths, something about them always draws me in. But vampire stories that are full of blood, and gore, and the struggle to hold onto humanity are the best, and this book was full of all those elements.

It's always interesting to see the unique spin an author will put on a creature who has been written about for hundreds of years. And I was happy to see some of the classic traits attributed to vampires present here, I was also pleased with the way vampires were portrayed, and the unique powers they got. Not only was it a cool twist on vampires, but it really lent itself to the story, and made it even more heartbreaking.

It wasn't an easy book to read, there was a lot of violence, and it was super gory. But the most heinous acts weren't even committed by supernatural creatures, and even worse, they were real. I love books where you are rooting for the "monster" to win, and as their acts become more heinous, you start questioning if they really deserve to win.

Overall, an excellent vampire story, that didn't skimp on the gore or story. It was full of lots of history that I wasn't previously aware of and was horrified to learn, and it was woven perfectly with a classic vampire revenge tale.

Going into this after having read the blurb I was like "oh, ok, so like a prairie vampire revenge story. How fun!" and in that first section of the book was ready to yell at Beaucarne, like one does to Jonathan Harker in Dracula, "dude, he's a vampire; all the warning signs are there!" But it was so much more (as always with Stephen Graham Jones).

I was engrossed by the multidimensional depth of Good Stab and of Arthur Beaucarne as characters, and the fullness and roundness of what I would say is an atmospheric story and and the emotions within.

It gave a lot to reflect upon: the western genre and the boosterism-like storytelling of westward expansion; what reconciliation means on a personal level as a settler in 2025; and on a wider societal level isolation and alienation and the epidemic of loneliness that we're hearing about.

Reading The Buffalo Hunter Hunter made me think of my experiences reading The Hunger by Alma Katsu, and Little Big Man by Thomas Berger. Not necessarily read-alikes, but there are similar vibes.

3.5*
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is my second Stephen Graham Jones book that I have read. While I truly enjoyed I was a Teenage Slasher, this one was far less enjoyable to read. While it is not a boring read, it is a very slow and quite tedious book to get through, particularly when Good Stab narrates his story. Here is a sample of his nouns, which refer to people, places and things in the Pikuni world:

Good Stab = Pikuni Vampire (main character)
Otter Goes Back
Kills for Nothing
Never Laughs
Tall Dog
Sun Chief= the sun
Running Eagle Lake
Small Robes
Three Persons =The white pastor
White Teeth
Cat Man= first vampire in the story
Blood Clot Hills
Wolf Calf
Blackhorn =buffalo=bison
This list goes on and on. I had a hard time keeping things straight.

This novel tells the story about the near extinction of the Blackhorn due to napikwans (white people) actions to control the Pikuni (clan of Blackfeet tribe). There is much slaughter, death, blood and gore from actual historical events woven with his fiction, and much truth about Native American vs white man, particularly concerning the slaughter of wild buffalo. The main part of the story comes from a journal written by a pastor in the early 1900's and later found by one of his descendants. American history buffs would probably be the target audience for this novel. I will round up since, although not quite to my taste, this is still a spectacular version of a specific time in American history.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In The Buffalo Hunter Hunter Stephen Graham Jones proves, ONCE AGAIN, why he's a master of his craft.
I sometimes feel silly with how much I yap about SGJ to everyone who will listen and he's quickly become a favourite author of mine.
In this one we've got a vampire story wrapped up in historical fiction. It's gruesome and violent and difficult to read at parts but it's also full of heart and the writing is so solid and so beautiful. An incredible story.

For a more in depth review you can check out my spoiler free youtube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GobQMYS21Fs&t=313s

Stephen Graham Jones weaves historical horrors with classic monster tropes into a spellbinding narrative of the “Wild West”.

“The depravity of man’s heart knows no floor, and everyone in this hard country has a sordid chapter in the story of their life, that they’re trying either to atone for, or stay ahead of. It’s what binds us one to the other.”

When a hundred year old journal is discovered in the walls of a building, Etsy Beaucarne is shocked to learn it’s an accounting of her ancestor’s life and sudden disappearance.

Arthur Beaucarne is a Pastor in the newly appointed state of Montana. With a secret past, he hopes to have redeemed his soul by preaching to others. In his old age, his life is routine now until a mysterious Blackfoot man begins showing up to his services…

“Either way, the time for scalping is well behind us,” I said. “This is a new day, is it not?” I lifted my arms, enveloping the whole grand chapel, and the civilized town beyond it.
“Or it’s a single, long night,” he said…”

The man known as The Fullblood begins telling an unholy tale of vampiric creatures, recollecting the horrors of white men killing the buffalo and the indigenous people. He’s there to confess his sins and possibly seek vengeance against those who have wronged his people.

These tales within tales all connect in a tapestry of bloody colonization. This tome is weighty, but well worth the time it takes to read it. Even though this is fiction, it’s so important to get perspective on some of the true events that occurred from indigenous characters written by an indigenous author. My eyes were open to events and places I had really never heard of before- and I’ll continue the journey by trying to find more nonfiction details.

“All we have left here is rot and decay.”

SGJ writes in vivid, atmospheric detail; this had me awestruck at some moments, and heartsick at others. I especially loved Good Stab’s sections, how the indigenous lore, customs, and language were such important parts of the story and meant so much to this character especially. His conflicted conscience and actions make me sympathize for his plight.
Arthur was very dislikable. He seems like such a hypocritical and hollow man of faith. I never felt he had anyone’s interests at heart except his own. I also found his narrative to be a bit dry and boring. Sometimes I was skimming these sections to get more into the meat of “The Nachzehrer’s Dark Gospel”.
I would’ve like to see more of Etsy at the end of the story- what happens for her next?

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a copy.

My absolute FAVOURITE horror author , the insane excitement never gets old if I get approved for a Stephen Graham Jones book.
As per usual this was a fantastic horror novel that I have and will continue to recommend to everyone and anyone.

Immense thanks to netgalley and the publishers

I love how this author always weaves the indigenous experience into horror stories. I enjoyed historical fiction as a change of pace from his recent slasher novels.

Historical fiction is not my personal favourite genre so I suspect other readers will love this one more than I did. It's very much a case where I appreciated the story and plot, even if I didn't find it personally engrossing.

If you are already a fan of this author, you won't be disappointed. This is also a good place to start with him, as long as you enjoy historical fiction. This is a great example of the sharp narratives he is known for writing.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada, Saga Press, and Stephen Graham Jones for the ARC.
Pub Date: March 18, 2025

Stephen Graham Jones cements his legacy as a master of genre-bending horror with The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, a haunting, blood-soaked masterpiece that merges the Western frontier with the supernatural dread of vampirism. This is easily one of the most original vampire tales I’ve ever read—intense, unrelenting, and filled with a searing undercurrent of grief and fury.

At the heart of this story is Good Stab, a Blackfoot man turned vampire, grappling with the loss of everything he’s ever loved. Stripped of his family, culture, and land by the hands of settlers, Good Stab finds himself cursed with eternal life and a hunger that mirrors the relentless greed of those who have destroyed his world. His journey is one of vengeance, survival, and reckoning with the true horrors of colonization—horrors that no fangs or claws could rival.

Told through journal entries as a confession to a Lutheran priest, the narrative weaves past and present in a way that feels both intimate and epic. Good Stab’s voice is unflinchingly raw, delivering moments of vindictive satisfaction while also exposing the crushing weight of his unending pain. Jones captures the brutality of the Wild West with unflinching precision, painting a landscape soaked in blood, betrayal, and broken spirits. The addition of vampirism heightens the horror, transforming Good Stab into both predator and prey in a world that offers him no sanctuary.

This isn’t just a story of revenge—it’s an exploration of the wounds inflicted by colonization and the resilience required to face them. Jones’s writing is as sharp as the teeth he describes, delivering gut-punch after gut-punch as the story unfolds. The violence is visceral, the rage palpable, and the sorrow deep enough to drown in. And while there’s an odd vindication in Good Stab’s vengeance, there’s also a sobering reminder that some wounds never truly heal.

Trigger warning: This book features graphic violence, including extensive animal deaths.

Big thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ebook via NetGalley.

WHERE DO I START.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is an incredibly well-written novel that explores oppression, vampirism, integrity, loyalty, moral rightness & how all of these things affect us as humans. I didn't know until after this novel that the massacre we learn of actually happened. The way SGJ orchestrated the conversations and interactions between the two main characters ( the pastor and Good Stab ) was so well done, I was constantly trying to get to the Good Stab chapters. I needed to know more, but SGJ forces us to read through the old-fashioned language (purposefully) from the 1800s wherein the pastor that pens them frequently mentions the indigenous people as "around for now" or "will be gone soon", succumbing to bigotry himself in small phrases or words that could be easily missed. We find out later the source of these feelings for the pastor, in a turn of events I didn't see coming and that were written with true events in the vicinity. Good Stab himself rolls through emotional turmoil after turmoil, constantly having to make decisions that he questions morally because he has no other choices. The book concludes stunningly, albeit slightly unsettlingly and sort of without a full conclusion, as is the way of SGJ.

I wasn’t sure what SGJ’s interpretation or adaptation of the vampire would be. He’s always managed to bring something new to the table and he does it here too. I think his take on the vampire—which I don’t want to spoil so I’ll remain vague—-adds a really complex layer to the idea of being able to hold onto your humanity, your identity.

In our current literary world that’s full of many takes on the “ethical vampire”, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a bloody revenge story. It’s a tale on the responsibility those who have caused harm owe and how that can be past down by generations. There are absolutely some more gore heavy scenes in this but the real horror is just American history..

Stephen Graham Jones strikes again with another beautifully written piece of horror that is as heartbreaking as it is unsettling. Set against the stark backdrop of the American West in 1912, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter weaves a tale that is both chilling and deeply rooted in Indigenous history.

The story unfolds through the journal of a Lutheran pastor, whose discovery in a wall decades later reveals a haunting confession from Good Stab, a Blackfeet vampire seeking justice. Each transcribed interview builds layers of terror, grief, and reckoning, tracing the aftermath of a massacre that left 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow.

This isn’t just horror for the sake of fear—it’s a story of survival and vengeance, a sharp critique of historical atrocities, and a reminder of the lingering scars borne by those wronged. The tension is palpable, the prose lyrical, and the atmosphere so thick it feels alive. Every page carries the weight of history, the specter of generational trauma threading through the narrative like a ghost that refuses to rest. The interviews unfold with chilling precision, each revelation cutting deeper than the last.

Stephen Graham Jones proves, yet again, why he’s one of the genre’s finest voices. This is horror with a soul—a tale that lingers long after the final page, whispering truths you won’t be able to forget. Prepare yourself for a journey that will leave you haunted, shaken, and in awe. This isn’t just horror; it’s a reckoning.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada | S&S/Saga Press for the opportunity to read and review The Buffalo Hunter Hunter prior to publication.