It seems like a natural fit for Native American writers to tell tales of dark fiction and the supernatural. It is almost as if they have a deeper connection with nature and the world around us that provides them with insight that other authors might never notice.

Stories such as these are packed into Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.’s collection, NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT. Perhaps the best decision they made was getting Stephen Graham Jones to write the foreword. He has been spearheading the Native American horror movement for the last several years and is considered an expert on the topic.

"NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT should not be missed by anyone who considers themselves a horror fan.... [T]hese stories provide readers with a dark and personal look into what fears and otherworldly powers still hold sway over the landscape."

Jones always has a way with words. This passage is both profound and chilling: “There’s scary stuff in stories, sure, there’s stuff that keeps you up at night, there’s stuff that makes you watch the darkness you’re driving through that much closer. But there’s hope, too. Just --- some nights you have to wade through a lot of blood to get there.”

There are many great stories in this collection, but I have selected three that especially stood out to me.

“Kushtuka” by Mathilda Zeller: This chiller opens NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT and does not hold anything back. Some Native Americans are talking about a tragic accident that injured members of their tribe and a few white men who were mining underground. Their wounds look suspiciously like the work of wolves, but some of the locals fear that something darker is at play. There is discussion that perhaps Sedna, mistress of the underworld, might have had a hand in this. But it turns out to be something else --- something closer to home for the Natives. The supernatural being known as Kushtuka may be behind the attack, and she appears to be quite angry based on the number of human body parts found strewn about. This is visceral horror that is sure to give readers nightmares.

“Quantum” by Nick Medina: By definition, the word “quantum” means a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents. For the purposes of this story, it is used to describe the comparable amount of Native American energy and blood a person has. The local tribe has lost Big John LaBarge, whose quantum number was high. During the time that his friends and admirers pay their last respects to him, someone asks, “Is it our blood that makes us who we are?” This insightful tale goes to great lengths to answer this question and makes quite a statement in the process.

“Behind Colin’s Eyes” by Shane Hawk: This story is filled with psychological terror. Colin’s hunting of the all-powerful elk, Sergeant Rock (named after one of his favorite DC characters), has all but consumed him. Madness and horror soon ensue as he cannot trust some of the things he is seeing and is unable to escape from these visions. Colin may have been successful in taking down Sergeant Rock, but his own sanity pays the price for this life.

NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT should not be missed by anyone who considers themselves a horror fan. Both American and Native American in their historical foundation, these stories provide readers with a dark and personal look into what fears and otherworldly powers still hold sway over the landscape.