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The Indian Lake Trilogy #2
Don't Fear the Reaper
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2023)Jade returns to the rural lake town of Proofrock the same day as convicted Indigenous serial killer Dark Mill South escapes into town to complete his revenge killings, in this riveting sequel to My Heart Is a Chainsaw from New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones.
Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho.
Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday.
Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.
Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho.
Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday.
Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.
457 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2023
About the author
Stephen Graham Jones
223 books10.9k followersStephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty or thirty-five books. He really likes werewolves and slashers. Favorite novels change daily, but Valis and Love Medicine and Lonesome Dove and It and The Things They Carried are all usually up there somewhere. Stephen lives in Boulder, Colorado. It's a big change from the West Texas he grew up in.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,346 reviews
September 29, 2024
Another 5-stars upon reread? Who's surprised?
After I finished Don't Fear the Reaper for the 2nd-time, I thought about all the things I wanted to say about it. All my new take-aways from my reread.
Then I thought, I don't have time for all that. Seriously, it's times like these when I wish I had a BookTube channel, so that I could just talk about it naturally, as thoughts are streaming through my head.
Honestly, I could talk for hours about this book. There are so many gorgeous themes touched upon, all mixed amongst Grade-A Slasher action and lore.
My Heart is a Chainsaw is a love letter to Slasher Horror. In this story, one of the aspects I enjoyed the most was the relationship between Jade and Letha; how it had evolved.
I also loved how between the two books, SGJ demonstrated one of the best aspects of Horror for me and many other life-long Horror fans. That is the way the genre offers a sense of solace and escape. It's a way for you to face your own fears in a safe way. It's a way for you to find order, to find rules, in a world that often seems to have none.
I can't remember a time when I wasn't enjoying Horror in some form. From such a young age, it has always made me happy. I'm not exaggerating when I say it is my absolute comfort zone; and the Horror community is fantastic as well. We're small, but we're ardent.
I feel like Horror can often be an underrated and misunderstood genre. First is just the fact that it is assumed 'one' genre, with the main intent to scare each and every person that takes it in and if it doesn't, it's thought to have failed in some way.
To me, that is too simplistic a view for a genre that has too many subgenres to count, is full of nuance and explores a vast array of different themes and topics.
In The Indian Lake Trilogy, Jones brings all the emotion that is Horror to the page. He shows its power to help and to heal, to be a safe place ((believe it or not)) where one can hide, as well as how it can kick some ass, build esteem, face down monsters and slay some demons.
Why am I going down this tangent, you may be wondering. Believe it or not, I do feel like it's important as a way to frame what you're gonna get in this series.
In the first book, we discover Jade, as a teen, who views the world around her through a prism of Slasher lore that she has built up over many years.
There are reasons why she started to do this and a new friend in her life sees it as a call for help. Jade battles against that. No, no, no, she just wants to help this friend, Letha. She wants to teach her all she knows, to protect her; as a way to save their town, Proofrock.
At the start of Don't Fear the Reaper, Jade returns to town after being away, in lock-up following the events of the 4th of July massacre. She's had space from Proofrock and no longer has her biggest monster breathing down her neck. She now tries to keep herself from falling back into her past mindset and thought patterns.
Letha, on the other hand, has remained in Proofrock, where she has since gotten married and had a child. In spite of the happy family life, Letha was changed by the 4th of July massacre. She was left traumatized, both emotionally and physically, maimed in a painful and life-altering way.
We see that either consciously, or subconsciously, Letha has turned to Slashers as a source of comfort for herself during her recovery. IMO, she had picked up that that is what Jade had done, and she had learned by example. I feel like she did find a lot of comfort there.
When the two women reunite, it's such a fascinating dynamic. The Padawan has become the Master. Letha tries to bring Jade back to her roots and ultimately, it's Proofrock, she's going to end up there.
With all this being said, this trilogy fills my heart in a way that's really hard to explain. It is a nostalgic feeling, like coming home, and one that always makes me feel more passionate towards my favorite genre.
If you are a life-long Horror fan, I highly recommend this series if you haven't started it yet, or the work of Stephen Graham Jones in general. He's a genius and has such love for the genre. It's truly a joy to read!
Original:
Don't Fear the Reaper released just in time for Valentine's Day. Be still my Slasher-Loving heart. This was everything!
Stephen Graham Jones is a genius. His writing style is completely unique, distinct and is an absolute master class in Slasher lore. I'm hooked. ((pun intended))
In anticipation of this release, I recently reread the first book in the trilogy, My Heart Is a Chainsaw. I love that book and honestly, was concerned that nothing could top it.
Somehow, defying the general law of sequels, this was bigger, badder and more blockbuster than the first!
It's been 4-years since the Independence Day Massacre. Jade, now going by her given name of Jennifer, has spent those years in prison. When her conviction is overturned, Jade returns to her native Proofrock.
As Jennifer's luck would have it, on the very night she returns, a prison transport van carrying convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, flips over in a blizzard. Dark Mill escapes and heads straight for Proofrock.
Back in town, Jennifer is reunited with her previously chosen final girl and dare I say, friend, Letha Mondragon. It's a bittersweet reunion for the two women. They've both changed dramatically since that brutal night four years ago.
Very quickly bodies start dropping in harsh and creative ways. Is Dark Mill responsible for these killings? What would his motive be here? If not him, who?
True to character, Jennifer and Letha dive head first into the action, putting themselves in incredible danger. They essentially saved the town before. It looks like they'll have to do it again, but if there's really just one final girl, who will make it out alive?
This book starts with a bang and never ever lets up. Not for a moment. It has the classic slasher opening scenes, where stuff is already hitting the haunted ceiling fan.
In addition to all the phenomenal Slasher connections and references, I absolutely adored the character development displayed in this one. For both Jennifer and Letha. The padawan has truly become the master.
Also, I enjoyed getting more of the twins, Ginger and Cinnamon. I feel like their interactions with Jennifer and Letha added a lot to the narrative. It was like the older generation passing on the torch of horror to the next generation.
Not that Letha and Jennifer are that much older, they aren't old at all, but the experience of the Independence Day Massacre has certainly provided them with knowledge and seniority when it comes to being able to survive a Slasher.
I have no idea when the next book is slated to be released, but I do know I'll be regularly stalking SGJ's author page until we find out. I'm super anxious to learn the title and see the cover.
This series is everything I have ever wanted. Having grown up on a fairly steady diet of Slashers, thanks to my super cool older siblings, these stories bring me so much nostalgia and joy. I love the entire vibe.
While I recognize that this series may not be for everyone, I know that with the people it resonates with, it's going to really hit. I cannot stop thinking about this. I'm really looking forward to reading both books again just prior to the release of the third.
If you love Horror Cinema, and Slashers in particular, and you haven't picked up this series yet, I cannot recommend it highly enough. You don't want to miss out on this!
Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Gallery / Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This was my most anticipated release of 2023 and it didn't disappoint for a moment. Chef's kiss!!
After I finished Don't Fear the Reaper for the 2nd-time, I thought about all the things I wanted to say about it. All my new take-aways from my reread.
Then I thought, I don't have time for all that. Seriously, it's times like these when I wish I had a BookTube channel, so that I could just talk about it naturally, as thoughts are streaming through my head.
Honestly, I could talk for hours about this book. There are so many gorgeous themes touched upon, all mixed amongst Grade-A Slasher action and lore.
My Heart is a Chainsaw is a love letter to Slasher Horror. In this story, one of the aspects I enjoyed the most was the relationship between Jade and Letha; how it had evolved.
I also loved how between the two books, SGJ demonstrated one of the best aspects of Horror for me and many other life-long Horror fans. That is the way the genre offers a sense of solace and escape. It's a way for you to face your own fears in a safe way. It's a way for you to find order, to find rules, in a world that often seems to have none.
I can't remember a time when I wasn't enjoying Horror in some form. From such a young age, it has always made me happy. I'm not exaggerating when I say it is my absolute comfort zone; and the Horror community is fantastic as well. We're small, but we're ardent.
I feel like Horror can often be an underrated and misunderstood genre. First is just the fact that it is assumed 'one' genre, with the main intent to scare each and every person that takes it in and if it doesn't, it's thought to have failed in some way.
To me, that is too simplistic a view for a genre that has too many subgenres to count, is full of nuance and explores a vast array of different themes and topics.
In The Indian Lake Trilogy, Jones brings all the emotion that is Horror to the page. He shows its power to help and to heal, to be a safe place ((believe it or not)) where one can hide, as well as how it can kick some ass, build esteem, face down monsters and slay some demons.
Why am I going down this tangent, you may be wondering. Believe it or not, I do feel like it's important as a way to frame what you're gonna get in this series.
In the first book, we discover Jade, as a teen, who views the world around her through a prism of Slasher lore that she has built up over many years.
There are reasons why she started to do this and a new friend in her life sees it as a call for help. Jade battles against that. No, no, no, she just wants to help this friend, Letha. She wants to teach her all she knows, to protect her; as a way to save their town, Proofrock.
At the start of Don't Fear the Reaper, Jade returns to town after being away, in lock-up following the events of the 4th of July massacre. She's had space from Proofrock and no longer has her biggest monster breathing down her neck. She now tries to keep herself from falling back into her past mindset and thought patterns.
Letha, on the other hand, has remained in Proofrock, where she has since gotten married and had a child. In spite of the happy family life, Letha was changed by the 4th of July massacre. She was left traumatized, both emotionally and physically, maimed in a painful and life-altering way.
We see that either consciously, or subconsciously, Letha has turned to Slashers as a source of comfort for herself during her recovery. IMO, she had picked up that that is what Jade had done, and she had learned by example. I feel like she did find a lot of comfort there.
When the two women reunite, it's such a fascinating dynamic. The Padawan has become the Master. Letha tries to bring Jade back to her roots and ultimately, it's Proofrock, she's going to end up there.
With all this being said, this trilogy fills my heart in a way that's really hard to explain. It is a nostalgic feeling, like coming home, and one that always makes me feel more passionate towards my favorite genre.
If you are a life-long Horror fan, I highly recommend this series if you haven't started it yet, or the work of Stephen Graham Jones in general. He's a genius and has such love for the genre. It's truly a joy to read!
Original:
Don't Fear the Reaper released just in time for Valentine's Day. Be still my Slasher-Loving heart. This was everything!
Stephen Graham Jones is a genius. His writing style is completely unique, distinct and is an absolute master class in Slasher lore. I'm hooked. ((pun intended))
In anticipation of this release, I recently reread the first book in the trilogy, My Heart Is a Chainsaw. I love that book and honestly, was concerned that nothing could top it.
Somehow, defying the general law of sequels, this was bigger, badder and more blockbuster than the first!
It's been 4-years since the Independence Day Massacre. Jade, now going by her given name of Jennifer, has spent those years in prison. When her conviction is overturned, Jade returns to her native Proofrock.
As Jennifer's luck would have it, on the very night she returns, a prison transport van carrying convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, flips over in a blizzard. Dark Mill escapes and heads straight for Proofrock.
Back in town, Jennifer is reunited with her previously chosen final girl and dare I say, friend, Letha Mondragon. It's a bittersweet reunion for the two women. They've both changed dramatically since that brutal night four years ago.
Very quickly bodies start dropping in harsh and creative ways. Is Dark Mill responsible for these killings? What would his motive be here? If not him, who?
True to character, Jennifer and Letha dive head first into the action, putting themselves in incredible danger. They essentially saved the town before. It looks like they'll have to do it again, but if there's really just one final girl, who will make it out alive?
This book starts with a bang and never ever lets up. Not for a moment. It has the classic slasher opening scenes, where stuff is already hitting the haunted ceiling fan.
In addition to all the phenomenal Slasher connections and references, I absolutely adored the character development displayed in this one. For both Jennifer and Letha. The padawan has truly become the master.
Also, I enjoyed getting more of the twins, Ginger and Cinnamon. I feel like their interactions with Jennifer and Letha added a lot to the narrative. It was like the older generation passing on the torch of horror to the next generation.
Not that Letha and Jennifer are that much older, they aren't old at all, but the experience of the Independence Day Massacre has certainly provided them with knowledge and seniority when it comes to being able to survive a Slasher.
I have no idea when the next book is slated to be released, but I do know I'll be regularly stalking SGJ's author page until we find out. I'm super anxious to learn the title and see the cover.
This series is everything I have ever wanted. Having grown up on a fairly steady diet of Slashers, thanks to my super cool older siblings, these stories bring me so much nostalgia and joy. I love the entire vibe.
While I recognize that this series may not be for everyone, I know that with the people it resonates with, it's going to really hit. I cannot stop thinking about this. I'm really looking forward to reading both books again just prior to the release of the third.
If you love Horror Cinema, and Slashers in particular, and you haven't picked up this series yet, I cannot recommend it highly enough. You don't want to miss out on this!
Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Gallery / Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This was my most anticipated release of 2023 and it didn't disappoint for a moment. Chef's kiss!!
September 16, 2023
I finished this book in July of 2022 and now it's finally time to review it, the book releases tomorrow!
DON'T FEAR THE REAPER (Book 2 in The Lake Witch Trilogy) by Stephen Graham Jones (The Only Good Indians, Mapping the Interior, Night of the Mannequins, My Heart is a Chainsaw, Mongrels)
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
General Genre: Adult Horror, Suspense
Subgenre/Themes: Thriller, Slasher, Indigenous experience, Final Girl
Writing Style: Visceral, Fast pace, conversational, not quite "stream of consciousness" but sorta/kinda, there's a rhythm and flow unique to SGJ that is an acquired taste and readers will grow to love it, understand, and read it better the more they read his books or listen to him read his own work
What You Need to Know: Don't Fear the Reaper is Act II. You really must begin with Act I, My Heart is A Chainsaw. They *can* be read as standalone novels but your experience will be fuller and more prosperous if you have the backstory of Chainsaw informing your journey through Reaper. Also, understand that the trilogy's primary character, Jade Daniels is growing up; maturing. In Chainsaw, we see things play out through Jade's slasher-movie-loving goggles--it's her story. Her POV. In Reaper, Jones opens up the scope of that lens and includes the narrative of other people involved in this story. This isn't to minimize or dismiss Jade's narrative, she's still "our girl" but maybe as a way to compliment her perspective.
My Reading Experience: I love Jade Daniels. My new t-shirt reads, "Jade Daniels is my Final Girl". And she is. But Don't Fear the Reaper has a few new stars, Dark Mill South and more Letha.
"Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over…"
Is it bad to talk about the slasher as the star of the show? No. Have you ever watched any iconic slasher movies? Fans *love* their slashers. It's weird, but it's true. Dark Mill South's shadow looms large over the very beginning of book two and sets early expectations. Have you ever read Stephen Graham Jones give a voice to a psychopathic killer? I have. Read, The Least of My Scars. It's terrifying (and slightly humorous, okay very humorous)
Dark Mill South is on a murderous rampage. Rumor has it that the wake of carnage he leaves behind is payback for the 1800s hangings of indigenous people in Dakota. He's dangerous. Capable. A force to be reckoned with and this is exciting because the last thing horror fans want is a baddie who goes down easy. We want a battle, a fight to the death and since we already know there's a third book, we want to know that small victories are won, but there is still so much to lose.
And speaking of loss, Jones leaves so much blood on the page. These people, victims, are not just a rising body count or slasher-fodder, they're characters that feel real. The kills make you wince-which is easy to do cinematically, and harder to execute on the page, but Jones does action sequences like the master he is.
I especially enjoyed the way Dark Mill South is this "real slasher" (he's real to the fictional town of Proofrock, Idaho) but he has this mythical status like a slasher in the movies. This happens in our real lives as well as with the sensationalism of true crime podcasts, documentaries, books, and movies. People show up to hear the gruesome details and everything there is to know about the killer but their victims are barely mentioned. Jones definitely gives time to this in the book and I appreciated it.
"But serial killers, of course, serial killers are forever."
"Given the choice, he'd much rather mentally cue up Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight."
Props to SGJ for his impeccable taste in music are also worth mentioning.
Also props for mentioning like 101 Movies I Have to Watch Before I'm Murdered (hint hint-book idea)
Final Recommendation: It's my recommendation that fans of My Heart is a Chainsaw will be tempted to compare the two and say, is Reaper even better than the first book? And to that I would say, there is no Empire Strikes Back without A New Hope. This is a TRILOGY, they're all judged as one unit--three parts that equal a whole. So let's just enjoy this fucking ride! Whoooo
Comps: My Heart is a Chainsaw *sticks tongue out* there are no comps for this, silly
DON'T FEAR THE REAPER (Book 2 in The Lake Witch Trilogy) by Stephen Graham Jones (The Only Good Indians, Mapping the Interior, Night of the Mannequins, My Heart is a Chainsaw, Mongrels)
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
General Genre: Adult Horror, Suspense
Subgenre/Themes: Thriller, Slasher, Indigenous experience, Final Girl
Writing Style: Visceral, Fast pace, conversational, not quite "stream of consciousness" but sorta/kinda, there's a rhythm and flow unique to SGJ that is an acquired taste and readers will grow to love it, understand, and read it better the more they read his books or listen to him read his own work
What You Need to Know: Don't Fear the Reaper is Act II. You really must begin with Act I, My Heart is A Chainsaw. They *can* be read as standalone novels but your experience will be fuller and more prosperous if you have the backstory of Chainsaw informing your journey through Reaper. Also, understand that the trilogy's primary character, Jade Daniels is growing up; maturing. In Chainsaw, we see things play out through Jade's slasher-movie-loving goggles--it's her story. Her POV. In Reaper, Jones opens up the scope of that lens and includes the narrative of other people involved in this story. This isn't to minimize or dismiss Jade's narrative, she's still "our girl" but maybe as a way to compliment her perspective.
My Reading Experience: I love Jade Daniels. My new t-shirt reads, "Jade Daniels is my Final Girl". And she is. But Don't Fear the Reaper has a few new stars, Dark Mill South and more Letha.
"Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over…"
Is it bad to talk about the slasher as the star of the show? No. Have you ever watched any iconic slasher movies? Fans *love* their slashers. It's weird, but it's true. Dark Mill South's shadow looms large over the very beginning of book two and sets early expectations. Have you ever read Stephen Graham Jones give a voice to a psychopathic killer? I have. Read, The Least of My Scars. It's terrifying (and slightly humorous, okay very humorous)
Dark Mill South is on a murderous rampage. Rumor has it that the wake of carnage he leaves behind is payback for the 1800s hangings of indigenous people in Dakota. He's dangerous. Capable. A force to be reckoned with and this is exciting because the last thing horror fans want is a baddie who goes down easy. We want a battle, a fight to the death and since we already know there's a third book, we want to know that small victories are won, but there is still so much to lose.
And speaking of loss, Jones leaves so much blood on the page. These people, victims, are not just a rising body count or slasher-fodder, they're characters that feel real. The kills make you wince-which is easy to do cinematically, and harder to execute on the page, but Jones does action sequences like the master he is.
I especially enjoyed the way Dark Mill South is this "real slasher" (he's real to the fictional town of Proofrock, Idaho) but he has this mythical status like a slasher in the movies. This happens in our real lives as well as with the sensationalism of true crime podcasts, documentaries, books, and movies. People show up to hear the gruesome details and everything there is to know about the killer but their victims are barely mentioned. Jones definitely gives time to this in the book and I appreciated it.
"But serial killers, of course, serial killers are forever."
"Given the choice, he'd much rather mentally cue up Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight."
Props to SGJ for his impeccable taste in music are also worth mentioning.
Also props for mentioning like 101 Movies I Have to Watch Before I'm Murdered (hint hint-book idea)
Final Recommendation: It's my recommendation that fans of My Heart is a Chainsaw will be tempted to compare the two and say, is Reaper even better than the first book? And to that I would say, there is no Empire Strikes Back without A New Hope. This is a TRILOGY, they're all judged as one unit--three parts that equal a whole. So let's just enjoy this fucking ride! Whoooo
Comps: My Heart is a Chainsaw *sticks tongue out* there are no comps for this, silly
February 4, 2023
This is going to be a strange thing to write about a book that is an homage to slasher movies and at times over the top gory, but this novel is practically overflowing with so much love and delight and an almost childish exuberance for the genre that I couldn't possibly not be caught up in it. Yes, it's bloody and violent and there are a lot of voices to keep up with and twists to follow and, as someone who is pretty unfamiliar with slasher movies, I am sure I missed a lot of cool references and inside jokes, but I enjoyed the ride, anyway -- a bit like a kid tagging along with their older sibling on a Saturday night. No idea what's going on, but glad to be there and having a blast.
I can say that Jade Daniels remains one of my favorite characters, just A+++, and so is Letha. There is one conversation they have with each other full of slasher references and finishing each other's sentences and it's masterful, just doing so much work and breaking my heart at the same time. Anyway, this book won't work for everyone, and Jones has a particular pacing and style and manic energy that's just this side of bursting and may drive people a bit nuts especially with all the shifting POVs, but I dig it. Long live the final girl!
I can say that Jade Daniels remains one of my favorite characters, just A+++, and so is Letha. There is one conversation they have with each other full of slasher references and finishing each other's sentences and it's masterful, just doing so much work and breaking my heart at the same time. Anyway, this book won't work for everyone, and Jones has a particular pacing and style and manic energy that's just this side of bursting and may drive people a bit nuts especially with all the shifting POVs, but I dig it. Long live the final girl!
April 12, 2024
‘Because she’s Jade fucking Daniels. And a thousand men like you can’t even reach up to touch her combat boots.’
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is an electrifying journey into the heart of darkness, where horror meets existential dread with spine-tingling precision. Jones masterfully weaves a tale that blurs the lines between the supernatural and the psychological, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.
In this gripping narrative, Jones delves deep into the psyche of his characters, exploring themes of grief, guilt, and the relentless pursuit of redemption. As the protagonist confronts their own mortality, readers are drawn into a world where the boundary between life and death is razor thin, and the reaper's presence is felt in every shadow.
Jones's prose is as sharp as a scythe, cutting through the darkness with poetic precision while delivering a relentless barrage of suspense and terror. With each twist and turn, Don't Fear the Reaper keeps readers guessing, building tension to a fever pitch that culminates in a breathtaking finale.
I Highly Recommend.
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is an electrifying journey into the heart of darkness, where horror meets existential dread with spine-tingling precision. Jones masterfully weaves a tale that blurs the lines between the supernatural and the psychological, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.
In this gripping narrative, Jones delves deep into the psyche of his characters, exploring themes of grief, guilt, and the relentless pursuit of redemption. As the protagonist confronts their own mortality, readers are drawn into a world where the boundary between life and death is razor thin, and the reaper's presence is felt in every shadow.
Jones's prose is as sharp as a scythe, cutting through the darkness with poetic precision while delivering a relentless barrage of suspense and terror. With each twist and turn, Don't Fear the Reaper keeps readers guessing, building tension to a fever pitch that culminates in a breathtaking finale.
I Highly Recommend.
October 26, 2022
LONG MAY THIS SERIES LIVE!!
***********************************************
SPOOKTOBER IS FOR SEQUELS!
DELICIOUS!
***********************************************
a sequel??? more like a squeee-quel!
***********************************************
SPOOKTOBER IS FOR SEQUELS!
DELICIOUS!
***********************************************
a sequel??? more like a squeee-quel!
December 26, 2022
My thanks to Gallery Books, S.G.J, and Netgalley.
I quit this story around 45%. Truth is that I freaking hated it. The story. The too long of everything. I wasn't a fan of the first book. But, I did like the last 30% of it. This? I just can't.
Well, I could...but I don't want to.
Mr. Jones just isn't an author for me.
I strongly encourage people to read and judge for themselves. Many love this author, but for me I've finally decided to call it quits.
I quit this story around 45%. Truth is that I freaking hated it. The story. The too long of everything. I wasn't a fan of the first book. But, I did like the last 30% of it. This? I just can't.
Well, I could...but I don't want to.
Mr. Jones just isn't an author for me.
I strongly encourage people to read and judge for themselves. Many love this author, but for me I've finally decided to call it quits.
December 28, 2023
Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.--------------------------------------
…souls are like livers: they regenerate and regenerate, until you’ve finally poisoned them enough that the only thing they can do is kill you…First, while I suppose it is possible to read Don’t Fear the Reaper as a stand-alone, I would not advise it. It is the second entry in The Indian Lake Trilogy. I mean, would you read The Two Towers without having first read The Fellowship of the Ring? Sure, Jones fills in enough details here that you could get by, maybe. But why would you want to? There is too much from the first book that you should know before heading into this one. So, if you have not yet read book #1, My Heart is a Chainsaw, settle back in your favorite reading spot, have a go at that one first, then head back here.
Stephen Graham Jones - image from The Big Thrill
Well, it had been a quiet week in Proofrock, Idaho, "the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve." But it somehow makes itself the Cabot Cove of slasherdom. A chapter walks us through the place’s dodgy past, which culminated in the Independence Day Massacre of Book #1, four years before Book #2 picks up.
Michael Myers of Halloween - image from Vulture
Jennifer Daniels, Jennifer, not Jade, Jennifer, the kick-ass final girl last time, is out of jail, but only if she can keep from destroying any more government property (as if). It just so happens that there is an epically murderous killer also just out of jail, but not from having been released. Dark Mill South is not a typical name for a killer, for anyone really. But then his killings are not usual either, offering, in addition to severe personal carnage, the placing of bodies facing north. He is supposedly seeking revenge for the hanging of thirty-eight Dakota men in 1862. And, in a nod no doubt, to urban legends, DMS is short one hand, while being plus one hook. A very large, burly person as well, up past 6’5” Jason Voorhees, giving him the BMOC title for slashers. Whoo-hoo! And unlike the main killer of book #1, DMS is an actual flesh-and-blood (lots of blood) monstrosity, not an ageless spook. He can be killed.
He wasn’t meant to make it as far as he does in the book. The way I initially conceived him, he was gonna be this big bad killer who comes to town, and then within a matter of minutes, he gets put down. But then I built him too bad. He couldn’t be put down easily. - from The Big Thrill interviewEven wildlife gets involved in this one. Not the first time of course. Jones did present a vengeful ungulate in The Only Good Indians, and unhappy ursines were a presence in My Heart is a Chainsaw.
Jason Voorhees of Friday the 13th - image from Vulture
It will give Jade, no, Jennifer, Jennifer, sheesh, the opportunity to go all Final Girl again, but she would rather not, thanks. Who will she identify as the FG this time?
Her fingernails aren’t painted black, and her boots are the dress-ones her lawyer bought for her. The heels are conservative, there are no aggressive lugs on the soles, and the threads are the same dark brown color as the fake, purply-brown leather.She has gone mainstream, even has long, healthy (Indian) hair now, and a passel of credits from community college correspondence courses. She is back in town after five years of dealing with the justice system from the wrong side of the bars. It is ten degrees, and there is a nasty winter storm making it tough to get around, effectively isolating Proofrock, and it’s unwelcome visitor. The local population will be compressed into a smaller piece of town, as survivors congregate where they might gain some security.
The bodies start piling up in short order, a range of unpleasantries foisted upon them, the local constabulary, per usual in slasher tales, offering a somewhat less than totally effective level of protection to the community.
Jigsaw - of Saw - Image from IGN
At age 17, Jade (yes, she was Jade then) offered us a tutorial on slasher norms. And saw how what was happening in her town fit the slasher-film norms (maybe should be ab-norms?) Her encyclopedic knowledge of the genre gave her an edge, allowed her to predict the future by looking at what had been produced in the cinematic past. This was done in chapters titled Slasher 101. That has been much reduced here. Although there are a few essay chapters in which a student writes to her teacher about similar subject matter, replicating the Jade-Holmes connection. Additional intel is presented through several characters who share Jennifer’s vast familiarity with the genre.
Freddie Krueger of Nightmare on Elm Street - image from Vulture
As with its predecessor, DFtR is an homage to the slasher film genre, particularly the product of the late 20th century golden age. I thought about keeping track of the films named, but it was soon clear that this was a fool’s errand. Like Lieutenant Dunbar says in Dances with Wolves, when Kicking Bird asks how many white men will be coming, they are like the stars. I enjoy slasher films as much as most of you, but am not a maven, by any stretch. One can enjoy this book without being familiar with ALLLLL of the gazillion films that are mentioned, but it did detract from the fun of reading this to feel as if the slasher film experts were passing notes behind my back, and that I was missing the significance of this or that flick nod. Sure, some explanations are offered, but the book would have to be twice as long to explain all of the references, in addition to the dead weight it would have added to the forward progress of the story.
There was almost no weight to be added for this novel.
Never planned on My Heart is a Chainsaw being the first installment of a trilogy, nope. But then in revisions, Joe Monti, my editor at Saga, said... what if everybody wasn’t dead at the end?But Jones did not roll out bed knowing how to structure, to write a trilogy, so he studied some of his favorite film series, Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, to see how it is done. He also corralled a novel into his self-study class and learned a lot, particularly on handling multiple character POVs.
I hemmed and hawed, didn’t want to leave anyone standing, but gave it a shot anyway. And it worked, was amazing. And it meant Chainsaw felt like it wanted to now open up to a trilogy, which I think is the most natural form for a slasher to take. - from The Lineup interview
I wrote Don’t Fear The Reaper right at the end of rereading Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. And that’s in parts, and each part introduces a new character and then it goes into everything else. And it cycles through all their heads. So that’s what I tried to do in Don’t Fear the Reaper—-and following that model was really productive. I don’t think I could have written Don’t Fear the Reaper if I hadn’t just come out of Lonesome Dove. – from the Paste Magazine interviewPart of that cycling includes a peek inside the squirrelly brain of DMS, who, at one point, is in pursuit of two females and relishing the thought of skinning them both alive in a creative way.
Leather Face – of Texas Chainsaw Massacre - image from Texas Monthly
There is some other pretty weird material in this one that might take up residence in your nightmares, substances that may or may not be real, that may be or may become human, or humanoid, or some sort of living creature. Thankfully, we do not see things through their eyes. (do they even have eyes?)
Many horror products, films, movies, TV shows, et al, get by with a simple surfacy fright-fest, counting bodies and maybe indulging in creative ways of killing, but the better ones add a layer. Jones looks at things from a Native American perspective, as well as that of a serious slasher-movie fan. Not only is Jennifer a Native American final girl (well, she was in the prior book anyway. We do not know straight away if she will be forced to reprise the role this time.) The Jason-esque killer is a Native American as well. Inclusion all around. As noted above, the literary references SGJ favors are to slasher films, but he is not above tossing in more classical literary references. I particularly enjoyed:
In the summer of 2015 a rough beast slouched out of the shadows and into the waking nightmares of an unsuspecting world. His name was Dark Mill South, but that wasn’t the only name he went by.Jones is offering here a reference to a world famous poem by William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming, which concludes with an end-times image (what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?) of a nightmare realized. (You can read the poem in EXTRA STUFF) It will certainly be end-times for many residents of Proofrock.
Ghostface – of Scream - image from Variety
One of the underlying elements of the slasher story is that it is a bubble inside which some form of justice will be meted out.
Now in 2023, I think the reason we’ve been into slashers the last few years….I think the 24-hour news cycle has greatly contributed to that, and also the election in 2016 that resulted in the news feeding us daily images, hourly images of people doing terrible things at podiums, at rallies, and then walking away unscathed. And what the slasher gives us is the ability to engage for two hours, for six hours, whatever, a world that is brutally fair. A world where if you do something wrong, you’re getting your head chopped off. That sense of fairness is so alluring to us - from the Paste interviewMaybe not so alluring for the collateral victims who clog up the streets, buildings, and waterways, but there is usually some justifiable revenge taking place. Bullies get comeuppance, which is always satisfying.
Pinhead – of Hellraiser - image from Wired
While Jade/Jennifer does not get our total attention this time ‘round, she remains our primary POV in a town where, really, not all the women are strong, only some of the men are good-looking, and a fair number of the children are, well, different. She is a great lead, having proven her mettle in Book #1, an outsider, that weird kid, charged with challenging a mortal assault on the residents of her town, her superpower her scary knowledge of slasher canon, and a hefty reservoir of guts. Rooting for Jade/Jennifer is as easy as falling off a log, but hopefully without the dire consequences such an event might have in Indian Lake. You will love her to pieces. There are plenty of twists and surprises to keep you in the story. There is creepiness to make you look around your home just to make sure everything is ok. There is a semi’s worth of blood and gore, a bit more tutorial on the genre, and the action is relentless. Once you begin this series one thing is certain. You are sure to get hooked.
slashers never really die. They just go to sleep for a few years. But they’re always counting the days until round two.
Review first posted - 3/3/23
Publication dates
----------Hardcover - 2/7/23
----------Trade paperback - 9/26/23
I received an ARE of Don’t Fear the Reaper from Gallery / Saga Press in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review has been cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Jones’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
Interviews
-----The Big Thrill - Between the Lines: Stephen Graham Jones by April Snellings
-----Esquire - How Stephen Graham Jones Is Reinventing the Slasher By Neil Mcrobert
-----Gizmodo - Horror Author Stephen Graham Jones on His Latest Chiller, Don't Fear the Reaper by Cheryl Eddy
-----The Lineup - Cut to the Heart: An Interview with Stephen Graham Jones/a> by Mackenzie Kiera
-----Litreactor - Stephen Graham Jones on Trilogies, Deaths, Slashers, and Dog Nipples by Gabino Iglesias
----* Paste Magazine - Stephen Graham Jones Talks Final Girls, Middle Books, and Don't Fear the Reaper by Lacy Baugher Milas – This is primo material
Paste Magazine: So, the title Don’t Fear The Reaper —which is one of my favorite songs, by the way—I’m assuming that must come from Blue Oyster Cult.
Stephen Graham Jones: Well, it does come from Blue Oyster Cult, but really it’s that—in Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis and her friend are riding in her friend’s Monte Carlo, and they’re listening to (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and then in 1996 with Scream, a cover of Don’t Fear) The Reaper is playing over Billy and Sid, and so it seemed like that was a kind of momentum. I had no choice but to call it Don’t Fear The Reaper, I was going to honor my heroes.Stephen Graham Jones on Writing, the Pantheon of Horror, and Clowns by Leah Schnelbach – nada on Reaper
If you want even more interviews with SGJ, I posted a bunch in my review of My Heart is a Chainsaw. There are plenty more contemporary (2023) interviews to be had if you feel the urge.
Songs/Music
-----Blue Oyster Cult - Don’t Fear the Reaper
-----Largehearted boy - Stephen Graham Jones's Playlist for His Novel "Don't Fear the Reaper"
My reviews of (sadly, only three) previous books by Jones
-----2021 - My Heart is a Chainsaw -The Indian Lake Trilogy #1 - on Coot’s Reviews
-----2020 - The Only Good Indians
-----2016 - Mongrels
Items of Interest
-----Pop Culture - Horror Movie Characters - includes stats on them
-----William Butler Yeats - The Second Coming
February 7, 2023
The best middle of a trilogy since the Two Towers (film)?
February 8, 2023
It pains me to give Don’t Fear the Reaper such a low rating, as I had such high expectations after reading My Heart is a Chainsaw.
This sequel picks up back in Proofrock, Idaho, four years after the events of the first book. Jade returns to town at the same time as serial killer Dark Mills South escapes his prison transport in the midst of a blizzard. Before his arrest, Dark Mills South was seeking revenge for the hanging of 38 Dakota men in 1862.
For the next 36 hours, bodies turn up left and right with no reprieve.
As I said, I loved Chainsaw. It required a lot of concentration, but it was worth it in the end. This book took just as much effort, if not more, but the payoff was not worth it, in my opinion. Jade was the heart and soul of the first book, but this one felt weighed down by too many POVs.
I enjoy literary fiction and horror individually, so combined, you’d think this would be the best of both worlds. However, the storyline was a bit convoluted. And I was lost for a good chunk of it.
If, like me, you don’t remember many details of the first book, I’d recommend refreshing your memory before starting this one. Some of it gets rehashed, but I had to dig deep to remember everything that happened prior.
Although I didn’t love this book, I will definitely read more from this author. It’s already getting rave reviews all around, so you will likely have better luck with it than I did.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
This sequel picks up back in Proofrock, Idaho, four years after the events of the first book. Jade returns to town at the same time as serial killer Dark Mills South escapes his prison transport in the midst of a blizzard. Before his arrest, Dark Mills South was seeking revenge for the hanging of 38 Dakota men in 1862.
For the next 36 hours, bodies turn up left and right with no reprieve.
As I said, I loved Chainsaw. It required a lot of concentration, but it was worth it in the end. This book took just as much effort, if not more, but the payoff was not worth it, in my opinion. Jade was the heart and soul of the first book, but this one felt weighed down by too many POVs.
I enjoy literary fiction and horror individually, so combined, you’d think this would be the best of both worlds. However, the storyline was a bit convoluted. And I was lost for a good chunk of it.
If, like me, you don’t remember many details of the first book, I’d recommend refreshing your memory before starting this one. Some of it gets rehashed, but I had to dig deep to remember everything that happened prior.
Although I didn’t love this book, I will definitely read more from this author. It’s already getting rave reviews all around, so you will likely have better luck with it than I did.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
November 19, 2023
Don’t Fear The Reaper follows 22 year old Jade as she’s just released from prison and almost immediately finds herself in a slasher scenario in the form of a folk legend/serial killer know as Dark Mill South as he sets his sights of Proofrock.
I LOVED this. Unlike My Heart Is A Chainsaw, the action starts pretty much right away. We also read from multiple different POV’s from the towns residents, as well as Jade’s- This POV switch as well as a fast paced plot was the best possible decision for this sequel. One of my least favorite tropes is when no one believes the MC, and I just LOVED how no one really questioned Jade this time around.
Some of the best action sequences and confrontations I’ve read, an actual jump scare- something so unexpected I actually jumped, and some of the most solid characters/characterizations I’ve read in a horror novel.
ALSO THE PLOT PROGRESSION?!?!? I couldn’t breathe it was so breakneck paced. Truly. SGJ is a gift. I’m unwell. I can’t. Definitely one of my favorites of the year, and I cannot wait for book 3!!
I LOVED this. Unlike My Heart Is A Chainsaw, the action starts pretty much right away. We also read from multiple different POV’s from the towns residents, as well as Jade’s- This POV switch as well as a fast paced plot was the best possible decision for this sequel. One of my least favorite tropes is when no one believes the MC, and I just LOVED how no one really questioned Jade this time around.
Some of the best action sequences and confrontations I’ve read, an actual jump scare- something so unexpected I actually jumped, and some of the most solid characters/characterizations I’ve read in a horror novel.
ALSO THE PLOT PROGRESSION?!?!? I couldn’t breathe it was so breakneck paced. Truly. SGJ is a gift. I’m unwell. I can’t. Definitely one of my favorites of the year, and I cannot wait for book 3!!
May 21, 2023
⁷A sequel that towers above its already great predecessor. A masterpiece of slasher lore.
'Clash of the titans indeed. The kind that grinds peons underfoot.'
This was one of those books that I have been dying to read since it was announced. So when I got accepted to read an ARC copy my excitement went completely off the scale. Often in situations where expectations are so high, the reality of the thing doesn't quite tally with the expectation. I can safely say this novel exceeded my expectations, you could say it hit them out of the park, wrote a new rule book or even set a higher bar. This is My Heart is a Chainsaw after years of bulking up. Getting bigger, faster, stronger, and more efficient, a juggernaut of a novel.
'The next memory is...it's not silence, it's wailing, I guess you could call it. The living crying for the dead and the dying.'
I wrote pages and pages of notes and made just as many highlights about this book. So rather than process them into a condensed filtered version I'm going to just leave a number of them below in their original form.
- This book focuses on events four years after My Heart is a Chainsaw and also shines a light on events that transpired within the first book. Sometimes even fills in certain characters' backstories, which helped me build a deeper understanding of their actions and motivations.
- The characters' conversations and thoughts are so sharp and witty throughout. An absolute delight.
- Stephen Graham Jones' intricate writing and observations are simply breathtaking, and deeply descriptive and the action scenes are both brutal and beautiful.
- Much easier to follow than its predecessor (I had moments in the first book where I had to read some passages over and over to make sense of things) but there were still a couple of those moments in this book. I put that mostly down to a lack of cultural knowledge on my part or just the subject matter that was being dealt with.
-Told from multiple points of view, using various writing formats.
-Must have induced almost every emotion possible from me.
- Gory and extremely bloody at times, but still leaving enough to the imagination.
-Faster and more evenly paced than My Heart is a Chainsaw.
- The relationship between Jade and Hardy was extremely heartwarming and tender at times.
- Jade is a legend. I love that girl!
- A breathtaking, rip-roaring epic.
"Which . . . does that tell you anything, ex-final girl? Or-you're Velma now, aren't you?"
"You're too young to know Scooby-Doo."
"I was also too young to see my parents torn to pieces."
Freddie and Jason can finally take their retirement, Dark Mill South is in town.
Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalleyuk for providing me with an ARC copy for review.
'Clash of the titans indeed. The kind that grinds peons underfoot.'
This was one of those books that I have been dying to read since it was announced. So when I got accepted to read an ARC copy my excitement went completely off the scale. Often in situations where expectations are so high, the reality of the thing doesn't quite tally with the expectation. I can safely say this novel exceeded my expectations, you could say it hit them out of the park, wrote a new rule book or even set a higher bar. This is My Heart is a Chainsaw after years of bulking up. Getting bigger, faster, stronger, and more efficient, a juggernaut of a novel.
'The next memory is...it's not silence, it's wailing, I guess you could call it. The living crying for the dead and the dying.'
I wrote pages and pages of notes and made just as many highlights about this book. So rather than process them into a condensed filtered version I'm going to just leave a number of them below in their original form.
- This book focuses on events four years after My Heart is a Chainsaw and also shines a light on events that transpired within the first book. Sometimes even fills in certain characters' backstories, which helped me build a deeper understanding of their actions and motivations.
- The characters' conversations and thoughts are so sharp and witty throughout. An absolute delight.
- Stephen Graham Jones' intricate writing and observations are simply breathtaking, and deeply descriptive and the action scenes are both brutal and beautiful.
- Much easier to follow than its predecessor (I had moments in the first book where I had to read some passages over and over to make sense of things) but there were still a couple of those moments in this book. I put that mostly down to a lack of cultural knowledge on my part or just the subject matter that was being dealt with.
-Told from multiple points of view, using various writing formats.
-Must have induced almost every emotion possible from me.
- Gory and extremely bloody at times, but still leaving enough to the imagination.
-Faster and more evenly paced than My Heart is a Chainsaw.
- The relationship between Jade and Hardy was extremely heartwarming and tender at times.
- Jade is a legend. I love that girl!
- A breathtaking, rip-roaring epic.
"Which . . . does that tell you anything, ex-final girl? Or-you're Velma now, aren't you?"
"You're too young to know Scooby-Doo."
"I was also too young to see my parents torn to pieces."
Freddie and Jason can finally take their retirement, Dark Mill South is in town.
Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalleyuk for providing me with an ARC copy for review.
November 7, 2023
If My Heart Is a Chainsaw hadn’t been the slasher perfection that it is, its sequel, Don’t Fear the Reaper, would’ve been a five-star read for me. But it’s hard to top perfection, even if you’re an author as talented as Stephen Graham Jones.
Reaper picks up four years after Chainsaw, with Jade Daniels returning to Proofrock after a stint in prison. Only she’s Jennifer now, not Jade, because she no longer wants to be the girl obsessed with slashers. She wants to put the Lake Witch killings behind her.
Just in time for Jade’s return, though, the convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, shows up in town. And once again Jade finds herself the star of a real-life slasher, whether she wants to be in it or not.
Anyone who’s ever read Jones knows that the man can write. He has a style all his own – a different rhythm to his prose, as if he shuffles up words in a sentence and finds a new way for them make sense – and it works. I love, too, how on one page he’ll describe the darkest of horrors, the stuff of nightmares, and then on the next he’s crafted a scene that makes you bust up with laughter. Jones is something special.
And so is Jade Daniels. She’s the final girl of final girls; she has the heart of a chainsaw. And Jones’s depiction of Jade in the first book is what made Chainsaw so memorable. He – and we – were in her head. We knew her intimately, the good of her and the bad of her.
But in Reaper, Jones takes a different approach. Parts of the story are told from Jade’s point of view, and then we have a slew of other viewpoints to wade through, with some working better than others. And even though I love this second book, it still suffers in comparison to its predecessor.
It just seems like Jones doesn’t know Jade anymore. Or at least not as well as he used to. By not writing the story from inside her head, he’s distanced himself from the character, and we sense the gap. It’s almost as if he doesn’t understand this new Jade, this Jennifer, and he doesn’t know how to write her. It’s a little sad.
We’re in for an excellent series finale, however, based upon how Reaper ends. I feel it in my bones, that it’s coming.
I only hope that Jade is really back for it.
Reaper picks up four years after Chainsaw, with Jade Daniels returning to Proofrock after a stint in prison. Only she’s Jennifer now, not Jade, because she no longer wants to be the girl obsessed with slashers. She wants to put the Lake Witch killings behind her.
Just in time for Jade’s return, though, the convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, shows up in town. And once again Jade finds herself the star of a real-life slasher, whether she wants to be in it or not.
Anyone who’s ever read Jones knows that the man can write. He has a style all his own – a different rhythm to his prose, as if he shuffles up words in a sentence and finds a new way for them make sense – and it works. I love, too, how on one page he’ll describe the darkest of horrors, the stuff of nightmares, and then on the next he’s crafted a scene that makes you bust up with laughter. Jones is something special.
And so is Jade Daniels. She’s the final girl of final girls; she has the heart of a chainsaw. And Jones’s depiction of Jade in the first book is what made Chainsaw so memorable. He – and we – were in her head. We knew her intimately, the good of her and the bad of her.
But in Reaper, Jones takes a different approach. Parts of the story are told from Jade’s point of view, and then we have a slew of other viewpoints to wade through, with some working better than others. And even though I love this second book, it still suffers in comparison to its predecessor.
It just seems like Jones doesn’t know Jade anymore. Or at least not as well as he used to. By not writing the story from inside her head, he’s distanced himself from the character, and we sense the gap. It’s almost as if he doesn’t understand this new Jade, this Jennifer, and he doesn’t know how to write her. It’s a little sad.
We’re in for an excellent series finale, however, based upon how Reaper ends. I feel it in my bones, that it’s coming.
I only hope that Jade is really back for it.
April 8, 2024
Edit - I finally wrote a review on both Chainsaw and Reaper but it's so full of spoilers and I so feel too lazy to put in spoiler tags, I'm just posting the link to my blog, read it if you want to;
https://proteandepravity.blogspot.com...
https://proteandepravity.blogspot.com...
July 6, 2024
Proofrock, Idaho—-if it is actually on the map—-is not a place you’d want to live or visit or even drive through. Lots of people die there, mostly teenagers, in very violent ways. It’s basically Slasherville, U.S.A.
If you read “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones (and, if you haven’t, shame on you…), you’ll recall how Jade Daniels kind of vanquished the Lake Witch during the infamous Independence Day Massacre, but only after the supernatural killer racked up a huge body count. For a while there, everybody thought Jade was the killer, until the Sheriff proved that she wasn’t. Now, the little Indian girl who had an unhealthy obsession with slashers is back in town.
Jones’s sequel “Don’t Fear the Reaper” is as good if not better than the first book, which is kind of weird, as Jade would tell you: slasher sequels generally are never as good as the original.
But Jade isn’t in town to do battle with the Lake Witch. No, she’s hunting an escaped serial killer named Dark Mill South. He’s kind of a Native American Hannibal Lector, which makes Jade the Native American Clarice.
So, she’s back in town to help save the few people she still cares about, namely Letha (the final girl from the last book, or rather, the other final girl), Deputy Banner (the high school jerk who turned out okay and actually married Letha), their newborn, and Sheriff Hardy (retired and minus about 30 feet of intestine).
Unfortunately, Dark Mill South may not be the only crazed killer bent on some irrational sense of vengeance.
Jade’s encyclopedic knowledge of all things slasher will come in handy, for sure, but there’s one problem: the killer(s) are also huge slasher fans, and they’ve seen the more recent movies that have been out that Jade has missed because, well, prison.
Jones has actually succeeded where so many other slasher franchises have failed: he’s created a sequel that outdoes the first one. It’s funnier, bloodier, and even more tear-jerkier. Even better? It’s the second in a planned trilogy.
Curse you, Stephen Graham Jones! (Just kidding. But seriously, write faster…)
If you read “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones (and, if you haven’t, shame on you…), you’ll recall how Jade Daniels kind of vanquished the Lake Witch during the infamous Independence Day Massacre, but only after the supernatural killer racked up a huge body count. For a while there, everybody thought Jade was the killer, until the Sheriff proved that she wasn’t. Now, the little Indian girl who had an unhealthy obsession with slashers is back in town.
Jones’s sequel “Don’t Fear the Reaper” is as good if not better than the first book, which is kind of weird, as Jade would tell you: slasher sequels generally are never as good as the original.
But Jade isn’t in town to do battle with the Lake Witch. No, she’s hunting an escaped serial killer named Dark Mill South. He’s kind of a Native American Hannibal Lector, which makes Jade the Native American Clarice.
So, she’s back in town to help save the few people she still cares about, namely Letha (the final girl from the last book, or rather, the other final girl), Deputy Banner (the high school jerk who turned out okay and actually married Letha), their newborn, and Sheriff Hardy (retired and minus about 30 feet of intestine).
Unfortunately, Dark Mill South may not be the only crazed killer bent on some irrational sense of vengeance.
Jade’s encyclopedic knowledge of all things slasher will come in handy, for sure, but there’s one problem: the killer(s) are also huge slasher fans, and they’ve seen the more recent movies that have been out that Jade has missed because, well, prison.
Jones has actually succeeded where so many other slasher franchises have failed: he’s created a sequel that outdoes the first one. It’s funnier, bloodier, and even more tear-jerkier. Even better? It’s the second in a planned trilogy.
Curse you, Stephen Graham Jones! (Just kidding. But seriously, write faster…)
February 20, 2023
It pains me to do this because I loved My Heart is a Chainsaw so much. But Don't Fear the Reaper is a massive letdown. I nearly DNF'ed so many times.
Missing from this were all the things I enjoyed about the first: an endearing MC (Jade), an intriguing premise, a coherent plot, logical slasher references.
Instead of focusing on Jade, the author dumps the reader into way too many POVs. Most of them boring throwaways. As a result, the plot was muddled and the effort tedious for the reader.
Speaking of Jade, she decides to go by Jennifer, then back to Jade. And you remember that cool thing she did in the first by recalling all the slasher references and applying them to real life situations? Yeah, she gave that up here. Instead, EVERY OTHER CHARACTER has spent the past 4 years becoming slasher experts. It was endearing in Jade's mind in the first, but this was forced and silly.
You will also need to remember a lot of details from the first to understand what is going on. A literary version of "previously on" would've been helpful. I spent much of this confused, which likely impacted my enjoyment.
Don't even get me started on the serial killer Dark Mill South, which sounds more like an abandoned mall or a rapper's stage name.
This way too long, too unfocused, too boring. Felt more like I was reading a parody of a slasher, like the Scary Movie franchise. Then there's a random demonic elk thing that had me thinking of those corny Amazon B-movies (Sharknado, Llamageddon, Lavalantula) 🤣
Missing from this were all the things I enjoyed about the first: an endearing MC (Jade), an intriguing premise, a coherent plot, logical slasher references.
Instead of focusing on Jade, the author dumps the reader into way too many POVs. Most of them boring throwaways. As a result, the plot was muddled and the effort tedious for the reader.
Speaking of Jade, she decides to go by Jennifer, then back to Jade. And you remember that cool thing she did in the first by recalling all the slasher references and applying them to real life situations? Yeah, she gave that up here. Instead, EVERY OTHER CHARACTER has spent the past 4 years becoming slasher experts. It was endearing in Jade's mind in the first, but this was forced and silly.
You will also need to remember a lot of details from the first to understand what is going on. A literary version of "previously on" would've been helpful. I spent much of this confused, which likely impacted my enjoyment.
Don't even get me started on the serial killer Dark Mill South, which sounds more like an abandoned mall or a rapper's stage name.
This way too long, too unfocused, too boring. Felt more like I was reading a parody of a slasher, like the Scary Movie franchise. Then there's a random demonic elk thing that had me thinking of those corny Amazon B-movies (Sharknado, Llamageddon, Lavalantula) 🤣
February 7, 2023
“It’s not easy, being a terrible person.”
Proofrock, Idaho is not the place you want to be! Jade (who prefers to be called Jennifer) has returned to her hometown after 4 years away. Coming home can be easy, it can also be a nightmare! Jade/Jennifer unfortunately was released on the same day that convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South escapes from prison. You know things are about to get dicey.
It begins on December 12th, 2019; it will end on Friday the 13th. Like the first book in the series My Heart Is a Chainsaw, this book is a love letter to slasher flicks. I love a good slasher flick especially slasher flicks from the '80's. It was fun reading both books and getting excited because this scene was from that movie, etc.
I will state that I think readers should read the first book in the series before reading this one. Things will make more sense, IMO.
This book does not wait until the end before the bodies begin to drop. Jade is a final girl with a deep knowledge of slasher/horror flicks. Will her knowledge be enough to save the townspeople? Will it be enough to save her?
I view this book as the middleman to the last book in the series. This one was solid, and I enjoyed the action. I look forward to where Stephen Graham Jones takes me in the third book in the series which I will be looking out for and happily reading.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery / Saga Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Proofrock, Idaho is not the place you want to be! Jade (who prefers to be called Jennifer) has returned to her hometown after 4 years away. Coming home can be easy, it can also be a nightmare! Jade/Jennifer unfortunately was released on the same day that convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South escapes from prison. You know things are about to get dicey.
It begins on December 12th, 2019; it will end on Friday the 13th. Like the first book in the series My Heart Is a Chainsaw, this book is a love letter to slasher flicks. I love a good slasher flick especially slasher flicks from the '80's. It was fun reading both books and getting excited because this scene was from that movie, etc.
I will state that I think readers should read the first book in the series before reading this one. Things will make more sense, IMO.
This book does not wait until the end before the bodies begin to drop. Jade is a final girl with a deep knowledge of slasher/horror flicks. Will her knowledge be enough to save the townspeople? Will it be enough to save her?
I view this book as the middleman to the last book in the series. This one was solid, and I enjoyed the action. I look forward to where Stephen Graham Jones takes me in the third book in the series which I will be looking out for and happily reading.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery / Saga Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 8, 2023
My Heart Is a Chainsaw was a blast so I was really looking forward to reading more of Jade, my favorite slasher fiend. While Don't Fear the Reaper has the same chaotic energy I had a harder time following its plot. I swear this is the kind of book that made me question if the reason I couldn’t keep up with the story had to do with my brain not being able to process information fast enough. The fact of the matter is that I struggled to make sense of what was happening on the page and often felt that I’d missed some crucial scene transition or action sequence.
In Don't Fear the Reaper we are reunited with (most of) the cast MHIAC, except that they are all in various stages of physical and mental recovery after the Proofrock massacre. Jade, who now prefers to be called Jennifer, has just been released from prison and is now back in Proofrock, a place she is both wary of yet unable to leave behind. It just so happens that a blizzard results in the escape of a convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, who seeks revenge for 38 Dakota men who were hanged in 1862. When the bodies start dropping Jennifer finds herself once again starring in a slasher movie, except that this time the people around her are the ones who seem excited by the foundling events. In a twist of irony, she’s the one to find constant references and slasher-tinted lenses to be ‘annoying’ and a common refrain of hers is to wonder how people put up with how annoying she was about slashers.
As I said, I was often confused. The multiple perspectives exacerbated said confusion by jumping around between characters when the story was chaotic enough as it made it harder for me to keep up with where/what each character was. We also get a lot of characters who fail to leave an impression, like the teens who inevitably get mowed down by the slasher. That we have characters pretending to be someone they are not only made things harder for me and my little brain. And maybe I just wanted less of other people and more of Jade/Jennifer. She has changed a lot and we don’t entirely understand that change given that when we left her at the end of MHIAC she was still very much in the same slasher headspace. We learn very little of her experiences in prison or what drives her now. She says that she no longer is the slasher fangirl she used to be but the story fails to delve deeper into her psyche. What I did like was her interactions with (former) final girl Letha whose life and body have been irrevocably altered after her injuries in MHIAC. Sadly, she is now with a forgettable guy from the previous book, and they have a child. I wished that this subplot hadn’t been a thing as Letha is enough of an interesting character not to need props like those of a child or a husband (are they married? i can’t remember).
I just missed the old Jade, her frenzied monologues and chaotic energy. Don't Fear the Reaper sadly falls prey to the second book syndrome as it lacks the intensity of MHIAC. Having other perspectives wasn't itself bad, I just wish it didn't come at the expense of spending time with Jade who remains the most interesting person in Proofrock. I'm definitely planning on rereading this befor the final instalment is out as maybe then I won't feel as discombobulated by the story's events.
In Don't Fear the Reaper we are reunited with (most of) the cast MHIAC, except that they are all in various stages of physical and mental recovery after the Proofrock massacre. Jade, who now prefers to be called Jennifer, has just been released from prison and is now back in Proofrock, a place she is both wary of yet unable to leave behind. It just so happens that a blizzard results in the escape of a convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, who seeks revenge for 38 Dakota men who were hanged in 1862. When the bodies start dropping Jennifer finds herself once again starring in a slasher movie, except that this time the people around her are the ones who seem excited by the foundling events. In a twist of irony, she’s the one to find constant references and slasher-tinted lenses to be ‘annoying’ and a common refrain of hers is to wonder how people put up with how annoying she was about slashers.
As I said, I was often confused. The multiple perspectives exacerbated said confusion by jumping around between characters when the story was chaotic enough as it made it harder for me to keep up with where/what each character was. We also get a lot of characters who fail to leave an impression, like the teens who inevitably get mowed down by the slasher. That we have characters pretending to be someone they are not only made things harder for me and my little brain. And maybe I just wanted less of other people and more of Jade/Jennifer. She has changed a lot and we don’t entirely understand that change given that when we left her at the end of MHIAC she was still very much in the same slasher headspace. We learn very little of her experiences in prison or what drives her now. She says that she no longer is the slasher fangirl she used to be but the story fails to delve deeper into her psyche. What I did like was her interactions with (former) final girl Letha whose life and body have been irrevocably altered after her injuries in MHIAC. Sadly, she is now with a forgettable guy from the previous book, and they have a child. I wished that this subplot hadn’t been a thing as Letha is enough of an interesting character not to need props like those of a child or a husband (are they married? i can’t remember).
I just missed the old Jade, her frenzied monologues and chaotic energy. Don't Fear the Reaper sadly falls prey to the second book syndrome as it lacks the intensity of MHIAC. Having other perspectives wasn't itself bad, I just wish it didn't come at the expense of spending time with Jade who remains the most interesting person in Proofrock. I'm definitely planning on rereading this befor the final instalment is out as maybe then I won't feel as discombobulated by the story's events.
March 1, 2023
More of a 3.7 star read for me. I was unsure if I was enjoying this one but it slowly won me over. Glad I gave it more time and didn't DNF it when I first thought about it. Might been my headspace at that time.
May 21, 2022
There are certain things a slasher sequel has to do. It should raise the stakes, it should bring us a mix of new and old characters, it should pick up some of the loose ends from the first, and it should definitely be bloodier. DON'T FEAR THE REAPER is happy to oblige.
Jade is back, though now she insists she is a different person, she is Jennifer now. But even only five years later, Jade's legacy has spread. If you were to happen upon a scene of bodies that has the exact cause of death from Friday the 13th, say, Jade is not the only one who will get the reference. Letha, the chosen final girl from book 1, has learned that a horror movie can save your life. And there is Mr. Armitage, the new history teacher, whose obsession with horror movies may be deeper than Jade's. This is a town that has lived a slasher, everyone sees the world with different eyes.
And this is as it should be! If the first movie is no one believing our final girl, the second has her returning with a wearied experience, an authority that means other people believe her. We do not have to sit with frustration, now everyone is immediately willing to believe there is a killer in their midst. The question is who? Or perhaps, how many?
Where MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW saved most of the carnage for the end, here it is with us all the way through and it is extremely violent and gory. Not for the faint of heart. This was intense enough that it took me almost two weeks to read. Part of it was the length, but I took a break for a few days after reading it before bed and having some very slasher-y nightmares. It knows what it's doing.
If you read the first, you already know if you are into the second. We have Jones's unique prose here, pushing you forward through scenes with that relentless motion. For the first half we move around to take in all kinds of characters but by the second half it gets that laser focus and speed you are expecting. There are many slasher references, a ton I didn't get and I have seen my fair share, but besides having to do a quick google or two, I was able to keep up just fine.
The very end of Chainsaw packed such a punch, I admit I came in hoping for a similar one here, which was unfair of me. This is a different kind of book, with a whole lot of threads to weave together, and it does that well. I am speculating, but I think it is also trying to do some work to set up the third in the trilogy, looking at who survives it seems that way. It doesn't feel like it's actively teeing anything up for us, though, which I appreciate. It has its own big climax and its own resolution. It's weird enough that a slasher made me cry, it's only fair the sequel let me hold on to my dignity.
Jade is back, though now she insists she is a different person, she is Jennifer now. But even only five years later, Jade's legacy has spread. If you were to happen upon a scene of bodies that has the exact cause of death from Friday the 13th, say, Jade is not the only one who will get the reference. Letha, the chosen final girl from book 1, has learned that a horror movie can save your life. And there is Mr. Armitage, the new history teacher, whose obsession with horror movies may be deeper than Jade's. This is a town that has lived a slasher, everyone sees the world with different eyes.
And this is as it should be! If the first movie is no one believing our final girl, the second has her returning with a wearied experience, an authority that means other people believe her. We do not have to sit with frustration, now everyone is immediately willing to believe there is a killer in their midst. The question is who? Or perhaps, how many?
Where MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW saved most of the carnage for the end, here it is with us all the way through and it is extremely violent and gory. Not for the faint of heart. This was intense enough that it took me almost two weeks to read. Part of it was the length, but I took a break for a few days after reading it before bed and having some very slasher-y nightmares. It knows what it's doing.
If you read the first, you already know if you are into the second. We have Jones's unique prose here, pushing you forward through scenes with that relentless motion. For the first half we move around to take in all kinds of characters but by the second half it gets that laser focus and speed you are expecting. There are many slasher references, a ton I didn't get and I have seen my fair share, but besides having to do a quick google or two, I was able to keep up just fine.
The very end of Chainsaw packed such a punch, I admit I came in hoping for a similar one here, which was unfair of me. This is a different kind of book, with a whole lot of threads to weave together, and it does that well. I am speculating, but I think it is also trying to do some work to set up the third in the trilogy, looking at who survives it seems that way. It doesn't feel like it's actively teeing anything up for us, though, which I appreciate. It has its own big climax and its own resolution. It's weird enough that a slasher made me cry, it's only fair the sequel let me hold on to my dignity.
October 20, 2023
This rating is a preliminary one. I think it deserves more from me, but I’m not there yet—I need to boil it down and reread the series later with more context.
Two things are immediately true: 1) this book is not a one-time reading comprehension experience and 2) I continue to be in awe of Jones’ electric-tripwire, running-from-Death (or running to?) writing style that is unlike anything else.
Concept: ★★★★
Horror elements: ★★★★★
Writing style: ★★★★★
Wait, so you thought Jade Daniels was done?? Welcome back to Proofrock.
It's 2019. Jade is back to "Jennifer" and she's just stepped back onto Proofrock soil following the trauma, trials, and incarcerations as a result of the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. She's ready for whatever could qualify as a "fresh" start for someone who's seen the shit that she's seen. Her days of final girls, horror movies, and niche survivalist trivia are behind her. (Didn't you pick up on that from the "Jennifer" nonsense?)
But let's remember, this is Proofrock. It's like the town was waiting for its bloody princess to step back into the ring, because one Jade's back, things get dicey again.
On one cold, blizzarding night in February, Proofrock welcomes a convicted serial killer into its midst. Indigenous murderer Dark Mill South escaped his heavily armed convoy a few miles outside of Proofrock under the helpful blanket of an avalanche and found his way into town. There's a lot of teenagers who somehow managed to escape the previous massacre. Dark Mill South might not know the town's bloody history, but he's unwittingly about to decimate the surviving playing field anyway.
The players from My Heart is a Chainsaw are older and grudgingly wiser, and, in Letha's case in particular—armed with all of the slasher knowledge that she missed the first time around. Letha Mondragon, the previous final girl, isn't about to be caught unawares again. She's vigilant, she's alive despite the medical odds, and she's ready with every horror play in the book.
On a dark, dark night...
Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.
Soooooo let's talk about it. Don't Fear the Reaper is, arguably, my most interesting anticipated release for this year. I took My Heart is a Chainsaw as a singular standalone, a titan in the horror genre that stood alone and needed no further explanations, riffs, or sequels. But then this sequel appeared out of the madness of Jones' mind and I knew I needed it.
Reaper was simultaneously exactly what I expected and yet also, wonderfully, different.
Did I fully understand it? Debatable. Do I need to watch the entire canon of classic horror slasher movies in order to fully understand this latest installment? ...Honestly, probably.
Don't Fear the Reaper is a honed blade for the slasher community. As a general horror fan with a particular interest in body horror and speculative horror, I was WAY out of my depth with this story.
It was an almost alienating experience to witness this novel play out via referential dialogue, meta takes on the subniche, and high-level interplay between established slasher canon (and fanon?) all stitched within a narrative that, itself, was a reflected commentary on the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. It was brutally intelligent. I just didn't have the right playbook.
There were layers on layers here, folks. Forget Shrek's onion—I'm so sorry, horror fans, let me horrify you with that Shrek reference—this was the Meta Onion. I caught just enough of the referencing to make it through my reading experience, but I know I missed most of it.
The dialogue, scene setups, tropes, character developments, and more were all linked to other elements of the genre. And if you didn't get the reference, you lost the momentum. I do think that affected my personal reading enjoyment. But unlike other novels where that lack of understanding repelled me and made me DNF, this version made me curious, and—for the first time in my life, yes, even Chainsaw didn't inspire me—made me want to dive into the world of slasher films.
There's a lot to take away from Reaper. Similar to the interspersed essays within the narrative itself, I'd need a thesis to get into it. I didn't even have time to mention the subplots and sub-horrors hiding behind the surface plot (let's just say, it is similar to Chainsaw in more ways than one.)
But suffice to say, this sequel was spectacular, and worth several rereads and discussions. I look forward to Jones pulling it all together into one brilliant dissertation in the final book.
Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
Two things are immediately true: 1) this book is not a one-time reading comprehension experience and 2) I continue to be in awe of Jones’ electric-tripwire, running-from-Death (or running to?) writing style that is unlike anything else.
Concept: ★★★★
Horror elements: ★★★★★
Writing style: ★★★★★
Wait, so you thought Jade Daniels was done?? Welcome back to Proofrock.
It's 2019. Jade is back to "Jennifer" and she's just stepped back onto Proofrock soil following the trauma, trials, and incarcerations as a result of the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. She's ready for whatever could qualify as a "fresh" start for someone who's seen the shit that she's seen. Her days of final girls, horror movies, and niche survivalist trivia are behind her. (Didn't you pick up on that from the "Jennifer" nonsense?)
But let's remember, this is Proofrock. It's like the town was waiting for its bloody princess to step back into the ring, because one Jade's back, things get dicey again.
On one cold, blizzarding night in February, Proofrock welcomes a convicted serial killer into its midst. Indigenous murderer Dark Mill South escaped his heavily armed convoy a few miles outside of Proofrock under the helpful blanket of an avalanche and found his way into town. There's a lot of teenagers who somehow managed to escape the previous massacre. Dark Mill South might not know the town's bloody history, but he's unwittingly about to decimate the surviving playing field anyway.
The players from My Heart is a Chainsaw are older and grudgingly wiser, and, in Letha's case in particular—armed with all of the slasher knowledge that she missed the first time around. Letha Mondragon, the previous final girl, isn't about to be caught unawares again. She's vigilant, she's alive despite the medical odds, and she's ready with every horror play in the book.
On a dark, dark night...
Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.
Soooooo let's talk about it. Don't Fear the Reaper is, arguably, my most interesting anticipated release for this year. I took My Heart is a Chainsaw as a singular standalone, a titan in the horror genre that stood alone and needed no further explanations, riffs, or sequels. But then this sequel appeared out of the madness of Jones' mind and I knew I needed it.
Reaper was simultaneously exactly what I expected and yet also, wonderfully, different.
Did I fully understand it? Debatable. Do I need to watch the entire canon of classic horror slasher movies in order to fully understand this latest installment? ...Honestly, probably.
Don't Fear the Reaper is a honed blade for the slasher community. As a general horror fan with a particular interest in body horror and speculative horror, I was WAY out of my depth with this story.
It was an almost alienating experience to witness this novel play out via referential dialogue, meta takes on the subniche, and high-level interplay between established slasher canon (and fanon?) all stitched within a narrative that, itself, was a reflected commentary on the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. It was brutally intelligent. I just didn't have the right playbook.
There were layers on layers here, folks. Forget Shrek's onion—I'm so sorry, horror fans, let me horrify you with that Shrek reference—this was the Meta Onion. I caught just enough of the referencing to make it through my reading experience, but I know I missed most of it.
The dialogue, scene setups, tropes, character developments, and more were all linked to other elements of the genre. And if you didn't get the reference, you lost the momentum. I do think that affected my personal reading enjoyment. But unlike other novels where that lack of understanding repelled me and made me DNF, this version made me curious, and—for the first time in my life, yes, even Chainsaw didn't inspire me—made me want to dive into the world of slasher films.
There's a lot to take away from Reaper. Similar to the interspersed essays within the narrative itself, I'd need a thesis to get into it. I didn't even have time to mention the subplots and sub-horrors hiding behind the surface plot (let's just say, it is similar to Chainsaw in more ways than one.)
But suffice to say, this sequel was spectacular, and worth several rereads and discussions. I look forward to Jones pulling it all together into one brilliant dissertation in the final book.
Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
January 7, 2024
This book was so much different then I expected and even though I am not a big watcher of Slasher films, I still really enjoyed this book. I did not realize it was part of a series, so read this as a stand alone book. It worked pretty well as I was able to pick up on the characters back stories.
So, much better and more fun than I expected❣️There is still lots of horror and murders, so it was definitely scary. I enjoyed the Pop Cultural references to classic Slasher Films, so I was familiar with most of them. Solving this case was about understanding the Slasher Films in depth, as this would hold the clues to how to get to Dark Mill South.
My favorite part of the book was the strong bond between Jade and Letha. Their bond is essential to this book. There is also a sense of community that is a thread throughout this book that was touching. So, yes there were a lot murders and this was a fast paced read, yet I felt for the characters on a deeper level.
This book does cater to a young group as the characters from the first book are just four years older. They are dealing with teenagers in high school. So, I think this leans more to being a Young Adult Book and certainly if you love slasher films, this will appeal to you.
Overall, more then I was expecting and found myself Routing and concerned for the main characters. There were quite a few unexpected twists and I enjoyed the cat and mouse chase.
Thank you NetGalley, Stephen Graham Jones, and Gallery Books for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews for any book I read.
So, much better and more fun than I expected❣️There is still lots of horror and murders, so it was definitely scary. I enjoyed the Pop Cultural references to classic Slasher Films, so I was familiar with most of them. Solving this case was about understanding the Slasher Films in depth, as this would hold the clues to how to get to Dark Mill South.
My favorite part of the book was the strong bond between Jade and Letha. Their bond is essential to this book. There is also a sense of community that is a thread throughout this book that was touching. So, yes there were a lot murders and this was a fast paced read, yet I felt for the characters on a deeper level.
This book does cater to a young group as the characters from the first book are just four years older. They are dealing with teenagers in high school. So, I think this leans more to being a Young Adult Book and certainly if you love slasher films, this will appeal to you.
Overall, more then I was expecting and found myself Routing and concerned for the main characters. There were quite a few unexpected twists and I enjoyed the cat and mouse chase.
Thank you NetGalley, Stephen Graham Jones, and Gallery Books for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews for any book I read.
April 3, 2024
Every day, wouldn't have it just been easier to die?
Except - they didn't.
The pushed through. They insisted. They fought.
Fifty thousand ancestors, going back and back, each of them a final girl.
But, that's just it, isn't it? They were plural, not singular, that's where horror movies have it all wrong, that's where the slasher lies: it's not about a lone girl carving her way to daylight, is it?
It's about two girls making it across the ice together.
It's not fifty thousand ancestors in a single-file line, it's clumps of survivors fighting off saber tooth cats and dire wolves and other clumps of people.
It's about putting the children and the old people in the middle and then making a circle around them, pointing out with every spear and shaking your head no, saying not this day.
Not this day.
As much as I ended up enjoying My Heart Is a Chainsaw, it really was slow to kick in. Don't Fear the Reaper sacrifices some of the clarity but gets the action rolling right from the start, and it didn't let up until SGJ was good and ready to finish.
I enjoyed this book so much - loved the way it built on the first while being containing enough context to settle in an unfamiliar reader. Letha was a surprise, but the way her and Jade played off each other was just perfect - no more solitary final girl, as the quote above would imply, but still allowing Jade her feelings about it all. And while it can be a bit to follow, I love when the author indulges his horror nerd and riffs on the themes of horror, either via a character conversation or within Jade's head. He's not averse to showing the worst kind of fan either, because there can be and has been an exploitative part of the genre - and yes, let's celebrate the good parts, but we don't have to ignore the issues to do it.
Somehow, he does all of that and keeps everything moving, because this book is a tighter, more punchy entry in the series, even at a similar length. They're both chainsaws, but this one's oiled. And it has me so ready for book three!
Except - they didn't.
The pushed through. They insisted. They fought.
Fifty thousand ancestors, going back and back, each of them a final girl.
But, that's just it, isn't it? They were plural, not singular, that's where horror movies have it all wrong, that's where the slasher lies: it's not about a lone girl carving her way to daylight, is it?
It's about two girls making it across the ice together.
It's not fifty thousand ancestors in a single-file line, it's clumps of survivors fighting off saber tooth cats and dire wolves and other clumps of people.
It's about putting the children and the old people in the middle and then making a circle around them, pointing out with every spear and shaking your head no, saying not this day.
Not this day.
As much as I ended up enjoying My Heart Is a Chainsaw, it really was slow to kick in. Don't Fear the Reaper sacrifices some of the clarity but gets the action rolling right from the start, and it didn't let up until SGJ was good and ready to finish.
I enjoyed this book so much - loved the way it built on the first while being containing enough context to settle in an unfamiliar reader. Letha was a surprise, but the way her and Jade played off each other was just perfect - no more solitary final girl, as the quote above would imply, but still allowing Jade her feelings about it all. And while it can be a bit to follow, I love when the author indulges his horror nerd and riffs on the themes of horror, either via a character conversation or within Jade's head. He's not averse to showing the worst kind of fan either, because there can be and has been an exploitative part of the genre - and yes, let's celebrate the good parts, but we don't have to ignore the issues to do it.
Somehow, he does all of that and keeps everything moving, because this book is a tighter, more punchy entry in the series, even at a similar length. They're both chainsaws, but this one's oiled. And it has me so ready for book three!
March 19, 2023
"Because she's Jade fucking Daniels. And a thousand men like you can't even reach up to touch her combat boots."
Jade Daniels is the real fucking deal!! She is back in Proofrock and as another slasher starts to carve their way through a new batch of high school seniors, she yet again rises as the badass final girl she is meant to be! This book is of a rare breed, it is a sequel that left it's incredible predecessor in the dust! Cannot wait for the next book!!
Jade Daniels is the real fucking deal!! She is back in Proofrock and as another slasher starts to carve their way through a new batch of high school seniors, she yet again rises as the badass final girl she is meant to be! This book is of a rare breed, it is a sequel that left it's incredible predecessor in the dust! Cannot wait for the next book!!
Want to read
December 11, 2021I just found out that my favorite book from this past year is getting a sequel from a Goodreads friend’s review. I’m glad that this book is coming out only a year later. I can’t wait to read this ode to horror books and see if it leans into tropes of horror sequels. It will be really interesting to see how different the town is with the aftermath of the exciting conclusion of the previous book. The synopsis and cover are so enticing!
December 4, 2022
I should just expect anything I read by Stephen Graham Jones to be awesome, that way I don’t have to go through all these roller-coaster expectations.
I liked My Heart is a Chainsaw, but honestly, I didn’t know HOW it could have been continued realistically. Fortunately, however, it did just that. It continued realistically. Consequences and massive changes and well-founded fear and the need to re-invent oneself featured foremost and I was all for it.
People DO change. As do slasher sequels. :)
Reading this was a real wowzer. I’m a slasher film fan, too, and the core meta-analysis is something that is dear to me. Of course, it’s even better when it’s centered on such great characters. No spoilers, but I think this book deserves its placement with Empire Strikes Back and Two Towers.
For anyone else who was on the fence about this, don’t be. It was wild and very, very entertaining, like Scream but with even more down-to-earth reason and intelligence. :)
I liked My Heart is a Chainsaw, but honestly, I didn’t know HOW it could have been continued realistically. Fortunately, however, it did just that. It continued realistically. Consequences and massive changes and well-founded fear and the need to re-invent oneself featured foremost and I was all for it.
People DO change. As do slasher sequels. :)
Reading this was a real wowzer. I’m a slasher film fan, too, and the core meta-analysis is something that is dear to me. Of course, it’s even better when it’s centered on such great characters. No spoilers, but I think this book deserves its placement with Empire Strikes Back and Two Towers.
For anyone else who was on the fence about this, don’t be. It was wild and very, very entertaining, like Scream but with even more down-to-earth reason and intelligence. :)
September 9, 2022
The perfect sequel. I already need book 3.
February 26, 2023
Rating - 4.5
My Heart is a Chainsaw was, much to my surprise, my favorite read of 2022, as I'm a horror lover who leans more to folk and supernatural rather than slashers. But I decided to give it a try based on the awesome title and the fact that I really enjoyed the author's previous novel, The Only Good Indians. By the end of Chainsaw, I was invested in the town of Proofrock and especially Jade Daniels, who broke my heart and made me proud, so when I found out there would be a sequel, I did what I rarely do and pre-ordered a hard copy of Don't Fear the Reaper.
Don't Fear the Reaper doesn't waste any time throwing you into the type of carnage that Chainsaw ended with in The Independence Day (or as Jade would have it, The Lake Witch) Massacre. I was happy to be reunited with Jade and intrigued and terrified by the character of Dark Mill South right from the start. It was nice to catch up with other residents of Proofrock too (some of course nicer to revisit than others).
My half star deduction is only because I'm not a huge slasher action fan, I am more of a slow burn fan and in Reaper we're thrown right into the action and it doesn't let up. I also would have liked to spend more time with Jade and we get more POV from multiple characters in this one. However, I found the last 150 pages or so redeemed all of these points for me.
In the midst of all the action and bloodiness, there are some really moving and insightful passages and writing. One that really struck me was the insight we get into Kimmy Daniels, although nothing would ever make her awful lack of mothering to Jade excusable. Jade broke my heart and made me proud all over again, and you can bet I'll be pre-ordering the next Lake Witch novel.
My Heart is a Chainsaw was, much to my surprise, my favorite read of 2022, as I'm a horror lover who leans more to folk and supernatural rather than slashers. But I decided to give it a try based on the awesome title and the fact that I really enjoyed the author's previous novel, The Only Good Indians. By the end of Chainsaw, I was invested in the town of Proofrock and especially Jade Daniels, who broke my heart and made me proud, so when I found out there would be a sequel, I did what I rarely do and pre-ordered a hard copy of Don't Fear the Reaper.
Don't Fear the Reaper doesn't waste any time throwing you into the type of carnage that Chainsaw ended with in The Independence Day (or as Jade would have it, The Lake Witch) Massacre. I was happy to be reunited with Jade and intrigued and terrified by the character of Dark Mill South right from the start. It was nice to catch up with other residents of Proofrock too (some of course nicer to revisit than others).
My half star deduction is only because I'm not a huge slasher action fan, I am more of a slow burn fan and in Reaper we're thrown right into the action and it doesn't let up. I also would have liked to spend more time with Jade and we get more POV from multiple characters in this one. However, I found the last 150 pages or so redeemed all of these points for me.
In the midst of all the action and bloodiness, there are some really moving and insightful passages and writing. One that really struck me was the insight we get into Kimmy Daniels, although nothing would ever make her awful lack of mothering to Jade excusable. Jade broke my heart and made me proud all over again, and you can bet I'll be pre-ordering the next Lake Witch novel.
December 17, 2023
The cover tells us that this is the second book in The Indian Lake Trilogy, and I'd say that reading My Heart Is a Chainsaw, the first volume, before this one is necessary to get all of what's happening here. It's a great read, but not an easy one; you have to keep track and pay attention to the details, or you'll get lost fast. There are multiple point-of-view shifts and a lot of different characters popping in and out, and sometimes even they aren't completely sure of who they are. (Jennifer or Jade? Ginger or Cinnamon?) Jones knows and loves and respects and pays homage to the tropes and traditions and conceits of the horror/slasher genre and mixes it all with Native American philosophy and Final Girl mentality quite brilliantly. There are some stream-of-consciousness sequences that I found hard to follow, but I took my time reading it and enjoyed it very much. I'm ready for the final book!
April 2, 2023
Now Available.
Don't Fear the Reaper is Stephen Graham Jones' worthy sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw. Gone is the slow-burn pace of the first book of The Lake Witch trilogy. This middle book starts out in a higher gear and quickly launches into messier gore.
Jade is back, but she goes by Jennifer now, as if that alone could distance her from the legacy of Proofrock's past. The harder she tries to rise above it, the more entangled she becomes, and it's not as if she could suddenly forget a near encyclopedic level knowledge of slasher film trivia, especially as those details are reflected in precise unmistakable ways right before her eyes. No, there's no way of avoiding involvement, so she may as well choose her own moves.
Agency is very important to Jones, and he intentionally ascribes a kind of informed fearlessness to his female characters, in the most badass reflection of liberation. We haven't forgotten that the real monsters are the ones too big to see, while we tend to concentrate our focus on individual violently destructive anomalies. The specters of racism, sexism, classism, and gentrification have failed to dissipate, and seem emboldened by our lack of effort in recognizing them, let alone containing them. We are much more interested in the vengeance exploits of the (surprisingly deliberate, sometimes even predictive) deranged. If their actions aren't random, what does that say about us (supposedly decent folk) or about our larger world?
Jones cuts through the usual explanation for horrific acts of violence: "Hurt people hurt people." Motivation is never that simple. We can search the layers of the killer to see what makes him tick and what made the bomb of him go off in a continuum of terror, but sometimes the reasons are the ones we don't want to know or face. Some folks want to, need to, stalk, terrorize and taunt their victims, and like cats, you can't control their hunting just by understanding them.
Horrors like these, however, especially the high body count, require some kind of compensatory effect, though the author never tries to completely balance the scales. Life isn't like that. Humor is the device which keeps the characters from dissolving into fear and dread. The actions and reactions of the characters vary, but it is not just their real or imagined strength, resourcefulness, or bravery that matters most, ultimately. What seems most important is the depth of loyalty, the fiercest love, the sacrifice of self in acts of pure selflessness. This is the beating heart at the center of the story: what really matters in the end isn't your cleverness, your wits, your heroic aims looking for praise, glory, respect, or even closure after a boatload of unprocessed trauma. The question is "Who are you? And who are you *you* for?"
There are an incredible number of murders packed into the middle of this trilogy, and an equal amount of subtext, if we may merge number and quantity. There are also loose ends, which there might have been even if this were not part of a series. Do we ever get full resolution in this life?
This novel is consuming, at times making us recoil, but always grabbing our attention and holding us in suspension. In a sense, the reader is held hostage along with the characters. Never fear, though. The denouement is a satisfying release of the rope keeping you tied up, high above the action. And you're ready for the third round.
Thank you so much to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and #NetGalley, for providing this early copy for review.
Don't Fear the Reaper is Stephen Graham Jones' worthy sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw. Gone is the slow-burn pace of the first book of The Lake Witch trilogy. This middle book starts out in a higher gear and quickly launches into messier gore.
Jade is back, but she goes by Jennifer now, as if that alone could distance her from the legacy of Proofrock's past. The harder she tries to rise above it, the more entangled she becomes, and it's not as if she could suddenly forget a near encyclopedic level knowledge of slasher film trivia, especially as those details are reflected in precise unmistakable ways right before her eyes. No, there's no way of avoiding involvement, so she may as well choose her own moves.
Agency is very important to Jones, and he intentionally ascribes a kind of informed fearlessness to his female characters, in the most badass reflection of liberation. We haven't forgotten that the real monsters are the ones too big to see, while we tend to concentrate our focus on individual violently destructive anomalies. The specters of racism, sexism, classism, and gentrification have failed to dissipate, and seem emboldened by our lack of effort in recognizing them, let alone containing them. We are much more interested in the vengeance exploits of the (surprisingly deliberate, sometimes even predictive) deranged. If their actions aren't random, what does that say about us (supposedly decent folk) or about our larger world?
Jones cuts through the usual explanation for horrific acts of violence: "Hurt people hurt people." Motivation is never that simple. We can search the layers of the killer to see what makes him tick and what made the bomb of him go off in a continuum of terror, but sometimes the reasons are the ones we don't want to know or face. Some folks want to, need to, stalk, terrorize and taunt their victims, and like cats, you can't control their hunting just by understanding them.
Horrors like these, however, especially the high body count, require some kind of compensatory effect, though the author never tries to completely balance the scales. Life isn't like that. Humor is the device which keeps the characters from dissolving into fear and dread. The actions and reactions of the characters vary, but it is not just their real or imagined strength, resourcefulness, or bravery that matters most, ultimately. What seems most important is the depth of loyalty, the fiercest love, the sacrifice of self in acts of pure selflessness. This is the beating heart at the center of the story: what really matters in the end isn't your cleverness, your wits, your heroic aims looking for praise, glory, respect, or even closure after a boatload of unprocessed trauma. The question is "Who are you? And who are you *you* for?"
There are an incredible number of murders packed into the middle of this trilogy, and an equal amount of subtext, if we may merge number and quantity. There are also loose ends, which there might have been even if this were not part of a series. Do we ever get full resolution in this life?
This novel is consuming, at times making us recoil, but always grabbing our attention and holding us in suspension. In a sense, the reader is held hostage along with the characters. Never fear, though. The denouement is a satisfying release of the rope keeping you tied up, high above the action. And you're ready for the third round.
Thank you so much to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and #NetGalley, for providing this early copy for review.
December 23, 2022
Thank you SO much to Stephan Graham Jones and Gallery Books for this book that comes out on February 7. This is the second book in the Lake Witch series, occurring four years after My Heart is a Chainsaw. Jade, now going by Jennifer, is released from prison right before Christmas after her conviction is overturned. She heads back to Proofrock at the exact same time that convicted serial killer Dark Mill South escapes from his prison transfer. He is seeking revenge for 38 hung Dakota men, and ends up in Proofrock ready to kill. But he isn’t the only one out in the snow. Bodies are turning up all over the place, ending 36 hours later on Friday the 13th.
Thoughts: This book was SUPER gory and crazy and violent and I loved it! This series is full of TONS of horror movie references, and this one had even more. The way Jones writes is a straightforward horror story overlayed with subtext about our inner strength, what makes someone a survivor, dealing with trauma, and so much more. I love that the story surrounds native american lore and the mistreatment of them in our history.
Jade is such an easy character to root for and I loved her journey during this book. The characters here are dynamic and interesting and the story was full of action from beginning to end. There was TONS of gore, so be aware of the unnecessary violence, but it is a horror book so that is to be expected. I’m so excited this is a trilogy, so there will be one more! 4.5- stars for this one!
Thoughts: This book was SUPER gory and crazy and violent and I loved it! This series is full of TONS of horror movie references, and this one had even more. The way Jones writes is a straightforward horror story overlayed with subtext about our inner strength, what makes someone a survivor, dealing with trauma, and so much more. I love that the story surrounds native american lore and the mistreatment of them in our history.
Jade is such an easy character to root for and I loved her journey during this book. The characters here are dynamic and interesting and the story was full of action from beginning to end. There was TONS of gore, so be aware of the unnecessary violence, but it is a horror book so that is to be expected. I’m so excited this is a trilogy, so there will be one more! 4.5- stars for this one!
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