The Haunting of "The Only Good Indians"

Stories about the sins of a character’s past coming back to haunt them are commonplace in horror fiction, but they’re rarely as well-crafted as Stephen Graham Jones’s novel, The Only Good Indians. This dark and powerful book is an atmospheric tale of a group of Native American men who are pursued by an entity intent upon ending their lives. When they were younger, these four friends hunted elk in an area restricted to tribal elders, and their actions resulted in a tragic event. Years later, a relentless spirit hunts the men down, intent upon taking revenge upon them for their past misdeeds.

The main characters in the story are members of the Blackfeet tribe, and Jone's masterful writing illuminates modern Native American culture in insightful and fascinating ways. In addition to the spine-tingling horror elements inherent in the novel, Jones tells an enthralling story about the younger generations of Native American tribes, and how they're torn between honoring their traditions and finding a place in the modern world. In fact, ignoring a tribal tradition is what set these four friends on a path to their eventual death and destruction.

As the story progresses, the malevolent entity takes down the men, each in a more violent way, until there is only one of them left standing. The horror sequences in the novel are creepy and unsettling, and will send chills down your spine. Jones often draws out the tension until a scene explodes into a terrifying and violent conclusion. Even if you're a seasoned horror fan who thinks they've seen it all, there are some disturbing and truly surprising moments throughout the story. The novel's climax features a bravura showdown between the vengeful entity and one of the main character's daughters, which ends in a way you might not expect.

If you're a fan of tales of ghostly revenge and retribution like Peter Straub's Ghost Story, you should really enjoy The Only Good Indians. Jones has written several excellent novels, including Growing Up Dead In Texas, and The Bird Is Gone. This compelling book just might be his best work yet. If you're looking to get lost in a moody, deeply frightening novel featuring well-developed characters and an absorbing story, set in a world you may not be familiar with, check out The Only Good Indians. Highly recommended for horror fans.