User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
There is a very special place. We’ve all been there. Yes, even you.
Perhaps it was only for a fraction of a second and dismissed just as quickly, perhaps you are not even consciously aware of it.
But, once I tell you, you will never forget it. And you’ll be surprised by the number of times it happens to you. It doesn’t matter what you call that place, the name will probably differ from person to person.
Me? I call that place OFF.
Another thing you should remember is that you can’t knowingly go there. No matter what you do, how drastic, it is not possible.
e.g. Even if you stick your head up Ernest Borgnine’s ass, it won’t do you any good. (I thought about explaining this reference, for I didn’t just pluck it out the air, but it should be more fun leaving you hanging...)
It must be a surprise. Like a pregnancy after a vasectomy...
"That damn doctor screwed up my wife's vasectomy, I tell ya!"
Interested yet?
I’ll try to explain as best I can:
OFF is where your mind goes when you fully believe, even for a fraction of a second, something that goes against your personal logic, reason and life experience. In other words, to believe in something you think is impossible.
I can see that frown, so let me give you some examples:
- When you brace yourself and pick something up which you thought were going to be heavier than it actually is, and for a fraction of a second you believe you’ve become stronger.
- When you get on a skateboard for the first time, and for a moment you think to yourself you can do this, right before your feet goes the opposite direction than your body.
- When you walk into the bar, and this beautiful girl gives you this big, welcoming smile, and you think to yourself ‘This girl digs me!’, right before her huge boyfriend who entered after you passes you.
- When they give you a mixed Rubik’s cube and you think you can solve it.
Are you getting what I’m saying, here? Give me some more examples, I beg you to make me laugh...
Anyway, the reason a went into this whole unwanted explanation, is to make you understand that this book takes place, almost entirely, in OFF. Things may seem normal at the gas station, but there is just a little something, well, off.
While I enjoyed the humor a lot (it has this JOHN DIES AT THE END vibe), and the writing was much better than I expected, it felt a little too long for what it offered. It is the first one in a series, so there is more story to come, but once the gag has run its course, it’s probably better to put it to bed.
So, the best advice I can give you, is to break this one up into two or three parts. Read something in between, just to keep the humor fresh.
Still, very good effort and I’m glad I read it.
Rating: really liked it
Every town has one. That creepy, out of the way gas station with the weird customers. Jack just happens to be working at the one in this story. All kinds of characters swing by the gas station. Monsters, supernatural forces, shoplifting raccoons, and garden gnomes. Then his best friend reveals the body of a local politician hidden in the trunk of a car, and all hell breaks loose. This book is horror, supernatural, comedy, and drama. Decent read.
Rating: really liked it
A couple gnomes showed up right outside the back door, and I left them where I found them because one of them was holding a steak knife and I don’t need that kind of crazy in my life.My husband listened to this on audiobook and said, "You should buy this. It's like John Dies at the End. You'll love it."
So, I bought it. And I read it. And he was right, I loved it.
Jack, our extremely unreliable narrator, works in a crappy gas station at the end of town. He is tasked by his therapist to write a journal (which quickly becomes a blog) and we get to read a plethora of bizarre stories concerning lawn gnomes, ghosts, alternate dimensions, shady federal agents, monsters and murder cults in Jack's dry, sarcastic humor.
The situations are over-the-top ridiculous and the characters wandering through the gas station are hilarious. I laughed out loud too many times to count.
I'll certainly be picking up Volume Two sooner rather than later.
Rating: really liked it
Oh my! This was so much fun! On to Volume 2 ;)
Rating: really liked it
All you really need to know about me is that I hated
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. If you liked it, then you will like this.
Tales from the Gas Station is weird with dumb humor.
Rating: really liked it
Anyone who ever worked in retail knows how weird customers can be sometimes. I was lucky enough that in all the time I worked as a bookseller in Berlin I always had very cool customers and I can’t complain at all, having had the chance to chat with people about books and being surrounded by books, but I know that in other areas things can go very eerie and awry. In a gas station in the middle of nowhere, for instance, positioned above an eldritch god living underground.
Poor Jack needs to put up with that exactly. Moreover, he suffers from a mysterious illness that will eventually kill him and attends therapy sessions that are included in his treatment package. From his psychiatrist to the local police, to his bosses, everyone is convinced that Jack is going insane, and maybe the reader thinks so too? Whether invented or not, Jack’s tales of his gas station shifts are a little bit creepy but always hilarious; plants that grow into human hands and organs, garden gnomes equipped with steak knives, a former death cult member moving in, online communities on the wildest conspiracy theories, a spy on the hunt for an animal that doesn't even exist, and and and...
I loved reading this book, it was a breath of fresh air amidst all the doom and gloom I usually read.
Rating: really liked it
A great one for those who love that horror comedy combination. Horror stories with Jack, the wacky sarcastic gas station attendant who has seen just about everything. I am sure most people will just lap this up, but I really don’t really handle bizarre and hilarious especially when joined with scary.
Rating: really liked it
'Chaotic reality or cosmic fantasy?'
Jack works at the sleepy, weird and wonderful gas station at the end of town, but things are beginning to stir and something is afoot. How can these crazy things be happening, why are they happening and what on earth do they mean? Jack is about to find out.
I went into this one not knowing what to expect and found it to be just so intriguingly different. Imagine experiencing an ongoing freaky acid trip, laced with the absurd and surreal and then just add a trace of the supernaturals and then you might get some idea. At times it was a case of lighthearted comic horror but occasionally things became dark and sinister and all without any deliberate explanation or direction. Events were truly random and the reader was left pleasantly wondering what was possibly going to happen next.
Lots of great ideas, with wonderful detail, but I found the humour to be a little hit and miss at times and proceedings slightly too disjointed and scattered for things to seriously gel together properly in order to bring about a sense of closure and complete satisfaction to this otherwise undoubtedly enjoyable read. Perhaps this was simply because the ending was not what I was expecting that left me feeling a little disappointed and maybe I might get more answers to my questions if I decide to delve and explore further into part 2 of this series. However, certainly a unique and original storyline with twists and turns that will leave the reader pondering on the eventual outcome and where it might all just possibly lead.
A talented writer who sure knows how to describe and tell a good story.
Rating: 3.5 disturbingly creepy, bright, unexplained stars.
Rating: really liked it
Must admit, Jack has a really interesting life (ha-ha). His stamina and cold-hearted mind are the thing I admire and jealous.
Honestly, it wasn’t quite a book I’ve read. It was several days I’ve lived through on this nowhere gas station.
This adventure was so crazy, so interesting, so quaint, so creepy, so funny, and soooo… cozy. Well, it’s closer to witty jokes, nevertheless, I was openly laughing quite often.
I don’t know what the magic Jack has, but the story and his writing in a complex - made a thing. You never know if all this shit happens for real or… It catches a reader and never let him go before the last page.
It’s a well-build story, all those events connected and logical (crazy, yeah). Every part of the story isn’t forgotten and not for nothing. I worried, The Tales could be alike Welcome to Night Vale, where it seems, the book is a set of random crazy events. But The Tales are logical in their craziness and I had a great time with it. I determinate to read his next books but want to wait a cooler season – I think it’s more proper vibes for reading The Tales.
Jack, I'll miss you!
Rating: really liked it
Jack works at a lonely gas station on the outskirts of a strange small town. Being the only full time employee, he sees most of the stranger things that happen first hand.
After deciding to start an online blog about his experiences, it opens a door to a whole new round of trouble he never saw coming.
I'm not sure exactly what kind of book I just read with this one. What I can say for sure is that the author is definitely a creative guy.
The storyline itself was a bit all over the place, jumping from one strange occurrence to the next so quickly that I had a hard time keeping track of what the heck was going on.
Most of the events and strange occupancies didn't seem to fit together very well. Many things were also not properly explained or tied in which left me feeling more confused than anything else when finishing the book.
Going in I was expecting more of a strange and creepy read. It turned out to be more of a humorous story that got downright silly and unbelievable at times.
While I did enjoy some parts, this book just didn't hook me or make enough sense overall for me to want to continue on with the series.
Rating: really liked it
A book that will be enjoyed by those who enjoy black humor and shaggy dogs. I thought often of Douglas Adams and Weird Al as I was reading the book if that helps. It’s kind of a genre crossing mess so I wouldn’t call it Horror or Paranormal or humor exactly - I’m fairly sure it’s a work of fiction but then again who knows? I’ve never been to the gas station at the edge of town, but I think I might have seen it.
Rating: really liked it
Sort of just a truckload of weird stories dumped in a pile, but done with such style that I thoroughly enjoyed it. This didn't have much of a throughline plot, but what there was intrigued me - I would like to know more since it wasn't remotely wrapped up in this volume.
This is very reminiscent of David Wong/Jason Pargin's John Dies at the End novels, and evidently it has a similar origin story - online tales connected and published as a book. I found Jack's stories less compelling than Dave & John's weird, gross, hilarious, and oddly philosophical romps, but they scratch the same itch.
I'll definitely be tuning in to the YouTube stories to see what additional fun is in store!
Rating: really liked it
Creepy and self-referential hilarity in the vein of 'Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil', the Good Place, and pretty much any Joss Whedon production. Memorable characters. For fans of Peter Clines or Jeremy Robinson. This will resonate with anyone who ever had a crummy job that left them bored for hours, dreaming of battling other-worldly phenomena, shadow agencies, and raccoons (yes, raccoons).
Rating: really liked it
Loved this book. At first I was hesitant to give it a chance. Didn’t like the protagonist at first. His laid back attitude kind of pissed me off. However after the story continued on, I got to see how the adventures changed him for the better. This is one of those stories that grow on you overtime, and I was happy to see it was all connected rather than just a bunch of unrelated short stories like some of the reviews claimed it was. After finishing the John Dies At The End series I felt this book filled the void left behind after John and David’s journey came to a close.
Rating: really liked it
Great readThis book is hilarious and spooky, two things I love. Jack is so real and likable, it’s impossible not to like this book. I do read his other stories online, however this is a more in-depth look at those stories starting at the beginning, so reading them is not necessary. Can’t recommend this book enough.
