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Tales from the Gas Station #3
Tales from the Gas Station: Volume Three
An army of monsters walks among us. A war wages between petty gods. The end of the world draws ever closer. And worst of all, Jack can't find anyone else to help cover the night shift.
Coming as a surprise to absolutely no one, Jack finds himself once again neck-deep in the middle of another deadly nightmare-come-true. And this time around, it's going to be a lot harder to tell who's a friend, who's an enemy... and who's a monster.
In the third installment of the Gas Station Tetralogy, Jack's world will change forever. Questions will be answered, and answers will be questioned. Friends become enemies. Strangers become enemies. Frenemies become enemies. (You know what? Jack is going to have a lot of new enemies.)
Prepare yourself. Things are about to get weird.
Coming as a surprise to absolutely no one, Jack finds himself once again neck-deep in the middle of another deadly nightmare-come-true. And this time around, it's going to be a lot harder to tell who's a friend, who's an enemy... and who's a monster.
In the third installment of the Gas Station Tetralogy, Jack's world will change forever. Questions will be answered, and answers will be questioned. Friends become enemies. Strangers become enemies. Frenemies become enemies. (You know what? Jack is going to have a lot of new enemies.)
Prepare yourself. Things are about to get weird.
374 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2020
416 people are currently reading
1702 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
June 29, 2021
Twisted and hilarious!
The book club meeting had been a success (by my standards, anyway—we had fun and nobody died)
I think Volume Three may be even better than the first two. Jack and Jerry had me laughing out loud so many times, and Mr. Creepypasta deserves a huge shout out for the narration. I can't imagine anyone doing it better.
I'm sad I don't have anymore to read but hopefully there will be a forth book!
The book club meeting had been a success (by my standards, anyway—we had fun and nobody died)
I think Volume Three may be even better than the first two. Jack and Jerry had me laughing out loud so many times, and Mr. Creepypasta deserves a huge shout out for the narration. I can't imagine anyone doing it better.
I'm sad I don't have anymore to read but hopefully there will be a forth book!
September 1, 2025
I don’t write reviews.
Often, books in a series decline in quality as the numbers increase, but then again, Tales From the Gas Station is not your typical series. It is actually quite the opposite; I’m finding each book more entertaining than its predecessor. Townsend brings a whole bunch of weirdness together in a perfectly delightful way. Though Jerry is the standout, all of the characters are bizarre and really likable.
“Somebody coughed. We all looked at one another. Jerry asked, ‘Who was that?’
We all heard it. The sound had definitely come from inside the tent….
‘Is that a wall back there,’ Grumble asked, pointing in the direction the noise had come from, ‘or is it just a curtain?’
‘Let’s find out!’ without even taking a second to consider, Jerry started walking towards it.
‘Jerry!’ I called, but he looked back at me and responded, ‘Don’t worry bro, I’m just gonna investigate that mysterious noise, coming from behind that strange curtain, in the back of this dark tent, that’s next to the horror house where we found the dead body. I’ll be right back.’”
Often, books in a series decline in quality as the numbers increase, but then again, Tales From the Gas Station is not your typical series. It is actually quite the opposite; I’m finding each book more entertaining than its predecessor. Townsend brings a whole bunch of weirdness together in a perfectly delightful way. Though Jerry is the standout, all of the characters are bizarre and really likable.
“Somebody coughed. We all looked at one another. Jerry asked, ‘Who was that?’
We all heard it. The sound had definitely come from inside the tent….
‘Is that a wall back there,’ Grumble asked, pointing in the direction the noise had come from, ‘or is it just a curtain?’
‘Let’s find out!’ without even taking a second to consider, Jerry started walking towards it.
‘Jerry!’ I called, but he looked back at me and responded, ‘Don’t worry bro, I’m just gonna investigate that mysterious noise, coming from behind that strange curtain, in the back of this dark tent, that’s next to the horror house where we found the dead body. I’ll be right back.’”
January 18, 2024
Jack, gas station defender not by choice is left to trust no one in this third book, perhaps not even himself. As an eternal insomniac Jack never sleeps and some say it could be affecting his ability to distinguish reality. Not me though I trust Jack...until this book. I did not know who was who and what was what and yet I was in it till the end. Did I laugh? Yes. Did I cry? No, that would be weird.
This third book was great, clever and exciting, very confusing but also not? I enjoyed the character development and the sass. There were loopty loops and swirls and twirls and lifts. Overall a great read. Not too creepy in my opinion and I missed that, much more action in this one.
This third book was great, clever and exciting, very confusing but also not? I enjoyed the character development and the sass. There were loopty loops and swirls and twirls and lifts. Overall a great read. Not too creepy in my opinion and I missed that, much more action in this one.
February 14, 2024
I truly enjoy the audible narration from Mr. Creepypasta. However, I think the author could have done better with the depth of the story and the transitions between action scenes. It is horror comedy, but I know Townsend can write this genre with class.
This series is one of my favorites, I hope it evolves and continues into a larger plot and that there will be more off shoot books like Bedside Manor. Characters such as Jerry and Rosa have captured my interest, adding a trio element. Jerry has been my favorite since book one, but I felt his dialogue suffered. There are also more “relevant” terms used in this book that perhaps meant that the author was trying to appeal to different or wider audiences.
I believe that preserving the integrity of the story comes first, checking the publication boxes comes second.
Ultimately, the plot was wrapped up quick in a neat little bow for book 4 to have a completely different premise. I would like to see a stronger story with more balanced comedy elements.
This series is one of my favorites, I hope it evolves and continues into a larger plot and that there will be more off shoot books like Bedside Manor. Characters such as Jerry and Rosa have captured my interest, adding a trio element. Jerry has been my favorite since book one, but I felt his dialogue suffered. There are also more “relevant” terms used in this book that perhaps meant that the author was trying to appeal to different or wider audiences.
I believe that preserving the integrity of the story comes first, checking the publication boxes comes second.
Ultimately, the plot was wrapped up quick in a neat little bow for book 4 to have a completely different premise. I would like to see a stronger story with more balanced comedy elements.
May 31, 2020
Not quite as good as the first two books. The plot and pacing are uneven in the last third of the book. But insanity and laughter and meta situations continue. The last line is worth it all.
February 4, 2023
These books just keep getting crazier and I just keep loving them more.
April 5, 2022
I guess this should be 2 stars since I did manage to plow through and finish it. The first two in this series were around 300 pages each. They could have used some editing, but all in all, they weren’t bad.
But this one! Over 400 pages that should have been cut down to 200. The same thing over and over and over and over. The same irritating writing over and over. The most annoying literary tic is where the main character remarks on what he’s seeing without revealing what it is he is seeing until a couple of paragraphs later. It was an interesting device the first couple of times, but by the umpteenth time, it was stale and irritating.
Reading this finally reached the point where it was me vs the book, I wasn’t about to let the book win.
It says that volume 4 comes in at a whopping 589 pages. There is no way, in this reality or any other, where I am going to read that. Independent writers need to realize that not every word, every scene, every incident is golden just because they wrote it.
But this one! Over 400 pages that should have been cut down to 200. The same thing over and over and over and over. The same irritating writing over and over. The most annoying literary tic is where the main character remarks on what he’s seeing without revealing what it is he is seeing until a couple of paragraphs later. It was an interesting device the first couple of times, but by the umpteenth time, it was stale and irritating.
Reading this finally reached the point where it was me vs the book, I wasn’t about to let the book win.
It says that volume 4 comes in at a whopping 589 pages. There is no way, in this reality or any other, where I am going to read that. Independent writers need to realize that not every word, every scene, every incident is golden just because they wrote it.
January 4, 2021
This is the third book in the series and I won’t give anything away. If you are looking for a lot of crazy and serious silliness...these books will give you both. The book is populated with monsters galore...both unbelievable creatures & human. Excellent entertainment and plenty of bang for your buck!!
I purchased these from Audible. All narrated by Mr. Creepy Pasta. He did an incredible job!! Enjoy.
I purchased these from Audible. All narrated by Mr. Creepy Pasta. He did an incredible job!! Enjoy.
July 27, 2021
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
I love this series, and the beginning of this volume in particular was absolutely amazing! It starts off like a cliché horror movie, except in this case it’s in the POV of a side character... but OUR main character of the book, Jack. It was hilarious!
But our self-aware Jack was done with their dumb bullshit pretty early on...
🤣 I loved this entire scene! This series is just fantastic! But I’ll tell you one thing: This book is no good to read out in public 😬 All I want to do is laugh out loud, so it was hard to read this and not burst out laughing. I adore the dark humor in this!
Oh Jack, you’re so considerate 😂 I love Jack! He’s pretty chill when it comes to weird things... unless it’s a person whose head is twisted all the way around... Hey, a guy needs to have his limits, okay? Lol. But for being in danger so much—what with all the weirdness that goes on in the gas station—he does a pretty good job at staying alive. And that’s saying something because Jack is no fighter. In the last book, he literally threw a gun at a guy instead of using it the proper way... and then it took him a while to realize what he had done wrong 😂 He’s dumb sometimes, but he’s great!
Oh, but he’s got NOTHING on Jerry! I adore Jerry, but OMG, how has he gotten this far in life being the airhead he is?? 😂
Anyway, let’s get to more characters. Lol. Another character I love is Rosa! She also works at the gas station and she is just really sweet and thoughtful! In this book, Rosa seems to have a thing for Jack, and Jack was being SO dense about it. Lol. And while that was hilarious, I didn’t really ship them. I’m more on the Amelia/Jack ship. Just saying 😏
I’m not gonna lie, the ending of this book was confusing AF! So many revelations were thrown at us that I didn’t even have time to process one thing before another revelation was dropped in our lap. It was crazy! This whole book was a crazy rollercoaster of a ride! And the only reason I’m not even mad at being confused at the end is because Jack was, too. Lol.
Same, Jack. Same. Lol. In this book, we get a little bit of an origin story as to why the gas station is so weird. I didn’t really get it, but the guy Jack was talking to promised we’d go into it more in book four 😂 Yeah, the guy broke the fourth wall. It was great! Lol. We also learn that all this weird stuff that’s happening is part of a bigger plan. This whole time I thought this series was more character-driven, but now it looks like we have a little bit of plot going on! Even though I don’t totally understand what the heck is really happening, I am very intrigued to see where the story goes from here. We found out some very interesting things in this one, and that ending was YIKES 😬
So yeah, even though I was a little bit confused there at the end, I really loved this book! It’s really funny and I love all the characters and the wacky situations they find themselves in! There’s always a good amount of gore and the fights are really good! I wasn’t expecting it to be as heartbreaking as it was, as bleak as it got at one point, but I did appreciate it and the depth it gave Jack. I’m really looking forward to the next book and finally finding out what the heck is going on! Lol.
I love this series, and the beginning of this volume in particular was absolutely amazing! It starts off like a cliché horror movie, except in this case it’s in the POV of a side character... but OUR main character of the book, Jack. It was hilarious!
“You guys know you’re in the middle of a bad story, don’t you?”
“Whoa, dude,” said Liam. “Are you being, like, meta right now?”
But our self-aware Jack was done with their dumb bullshit pretty early on...
“STOP DOING EXPOSITION!” I shouted.
🤣 I loved this entire scene! This series is just fantastic! But I’ll tell you one thing: This book is no good to read out in public 😬 All I want to do is laugh out loud, so it was hard to read this and not burst out laughing. I adore the dark humor in this!
I wanted to scream at him “How is your head twisted all the way around like that!?” But I didn’t want to be rude in case it was some kind of medical condition, so I acted like it wasn’t the freakiest thing I’d seen all day.
Oh Jack, you’re so considerate 😂 I love Jack! He’s pretty chill when it comes to weird things... unless it’s a person whose head is twisted all the way around... Hey, a guy needs to have his limits, okay? Lol. But for being in danger so much—what with all the weirdness that goes on in the gas station—he does a pretty good job at staying alive. And that’s saying something because Jack is no fighter. In the last book, he literally threw a gun at a guy instead of using it the proper way... and then it took him a while to realize what he had done wrong 😂 He’s dumb sometimes, but he’s great!
Well that can’t be good. Did I turn into a vampire without noticing?
---
No, I decided. I can’t be a vampire. There must be something wrong with the mirror!
Oh, but he’s got NOTHING on Jerry! I adore Jerry, but OMG, how has he gotten this far in life being the airhead he is?? 😂
“Jerry!” I called.
He looked back at me and responded, “Don’t worry, bro. I’m just gonna go investigate that mysterious noise coming from behind the strange curtain in the back of this dark tent next to the horror house where we found the dead body. I’ll be right back.”
Anyway, let’s get to more characters. Lol. Another character I love is Rosa! She also works at the gas station and she is just really sweet and thoughtful! In this book, Rosa seems to have a thing for Jack, and Jack was being SO dense about it. Lol. And while that was hilarious, I didn’t really ship them. I’m more on the Amelia/Jack ship. Just saying 😏
I’m not gonna lie, the ending of this book was confusing AF! So many revelations were thrown at us that I didn’t even have time to process one thing before another revelation was dropped in our lap. It was crazy! This whole book was a crazy rollercoaster of a ride! And the only reason I’m not even mad at being confused at the end is because Jack was, too. Lol.
And not for the first time that week, or day, or hour, or even minute, I found myself wondering… What the hell is happening?
Same, Jack. Same. Lol. In this book, we get a little bit of an origin story as to why the gas station is so weird. I didn’t really get it, but the guy Jack was talking to promised we’d go into it more in book four 😂 Yeah, the guy broke the fourth wall. It was great! Lol. We also learn that all this weird stuff that’s happening is part of a bigger plan. This whole time I thought this series was more character-driven, but now it looks like we have a little bit of plot going on! Even though I don’t totally understand what the heck is really happening, I am very intrigued to see where the story goes from here. We found out some very interesting things in this one, and that ending was YIKES 😬
So yeah, even though I was a little bit confused there at the end, I really loved this book! It’s really funny and I love all the characters and the wacky situations they find themselves in! There’s always a good amount of gore and the fights are really good! I wasn’t expecting it to be as heartbreaking as it was, as bleak as it got at one point, but I did appreciate it and the depth it gave Jack. I’m really looking forward to the next book and finally finding out what the heck is going on! Lol.
August 11, 2022
(The books) get progressively weirder with each installment. The author came down with dementia while he was writing them, and the entirety of the last book was scribbled on a bathroom wall and transcribed by his editors.
Another uncomfortably fascinating yet exotically triumphant read! Wow, has reading something where you have no effing clue what is going on ever been so much fun? Not since 2nd semester physical chemistry would be my answer! And anyway, "Tales From The Gas Station" has a lot more weaponry and explosions in it so there's that aspect as well going for it!
I can’t believe this. You have smacked my gobs and ghasted my flabbers!
All said, this really was quite the experience! As we - and by "we" I mean those of us that have been reading this series like crack addicts now for 3 books - get deeper and deeper into Jack's… mind? illness? connection with creatures from other dimensions that are coming to destroy us all? … things are just wilder and kookier and wackier than ever! The continuing combination of Jack's intelligence - let's face it, he is a bright guy even if he has the social graces and reasoning of a dead squirrel (which is even worse than a chewed up chipmunk) - as well as his sheer luck and/or utter lack thereof makes for at very least intriquing if not delicious reading to say the least!
…having something other than insanity and death to look forward to certainly helps pass the time a little easier.
Plus now we're also getting in deeper with the other players, too - or better said, those of whom stay alive long enough to do so - which just makes things even more interesting! Jerry (or is it Leroy) gets a back-story more than worthy of his to-date and pretty much total weirdness! And Rosa, well, she has a dress with pockets and even got drunk! Weird though how they both forgot about that weird purple kid. You know the one that telepathically offers to go on a murder spree. Just tryin' to help out a friend! Also very weird that I keep using some form of the word "deep" here, isn't it? Hm, I wonder…
The book club meeting had been a success (by my standards, anyway—we had fun and nobody died).
But obviously (it's obvious, right?), Townsend is still managing to make all this weirdness fit together so well, like a combination Jackson Pollack and MC.Escher puzzle that someone solved with all the pieces upside down! You don't know how he's going to get things to where they end up but then you look and viola, it's done! A terrible analogy, sure, but you try and match what's accomplished here. Plus, you've got your normal collection of butterfly/raccoon/dragon-hybrids, blood-barfing goons and mean ol' meanies with far too many PhD's than anyone needs (trust me: I have one and it's useless). All this and modern cultural references as well! Golly!
The raccoons startle easily, but they’ll soon be back, and in greater numbers.
Still, readers beware: this is a darker book than any we've enjoyed so far - no seriously, we're talking DC films dark! And that's not even considering the possible existence of the dog-bats nor the bat-dogs. I've been clicking the ol' "horror/suspense" genre button on the previous books just, well, because but this time let's just say it's deserved and then some. I mean, I guess you could say he nails it. To the wall. While the dude is still alive even! But along with all this ak-tion (trust me on that spelling, ok?), we have to add to that broken romances, hostile take-overs, kidnappings galore, and more! A glitch in the matrix breaking through the 4th wall? Please, that would be a step up for poor Jack! Murder most foul, lots and lots of bodies, accidental cannabalism and just a few too many guns being pointed into peoples' faces for comfort. Oh and did I mention the, quote, nigh-indestructible slug-tongued monster grandma out there looking for murder, unquote? Hint: she finds it!
Within this nothing lived a horrible something. A being more chaotic than pure chaos, more evil than pure evil, more hateful than current politics.
And worst of all? That's right: capitalism rears its ugly head! Job terminations, articles of incorporation, as well as sales taxes (state AND county damn you!). And don't get me started on the insurance premiums (no really, it's simply because I don't understand any of that stuff). No matter how this is all going to work out by the end of the next book (will it though?), it sure isn't going to resemble a tippy-toe happy skip-along fade-out of yore (won't it though?). Even if these hills may literally be alive (trust me: the minute ANYONE begins talking about how bright the moon is, RUN!)!
…whatever subconscious vestige of my caveman brain that evolved to automatically detect and react to certain threats was blowing up in that moment…
All-in-all, mighty fine reading y'all. Now get outta my way, I'm heading towards the home stretch! Well, according to the Russian radio at least. Though it feels like it's somehow mimicking me… Extra credit: what other names besides Benjamin would the whole renaming thing work for? That was really cool! Well, depending on how much you remember…
The voice faded from my ears, leaving behind a tender incorporeal pain, like a sunburn on my psyche.
Another uncomfortably fascinating yet exotically triumphant read! Wow, has reading something where you have no effing clue what is going on ever been so much fun? Not since 2nd semester physical chemistry would be my answer! And anyway, "Tales From The Gas Station" has a lot more weaponry and explosions in it so there's that aspect as well going for it!
I can’t believe this. You have smacked my gobs and ghasted my flabbers!
All said, this really was quite the experience! As we - and by "we" I mean those of us that have been reading this series like crack addicts now for 3 books - get deeper and deeper into Jack's… mind? illness? connection with creatures from other dimensions that are coming to destroy us all? … things are just wilder and kookier and wackier than ever! The continuing combination of Jack's intelligence - let's face it, he is a bright guy even if he has the social graces and reasoning of a dead squirrel (which is even worse than a chewed up chipmunk) - as well as his sheer luck and/or utter lack thereof makes for at very least intriquing if not delicious reading to say the least!
…having something other than insanity and death to look forward to certainly helps pass the time a little easier.
Plus now we're also getting in deeper with the other players, too - or better said, those of whom stay alive long enough to do so - which just makes things even more interesting! Jerry (or is it Leroy) gets a back-story more than worthy of his to-date and pretty much total weirdness! And Rosa, well, she has a dress with pockets and even got drunk! Weird though how they both forgot about that weird purple kid. You know the one that telepathically offers to go on a murder spree. Just tryin' to help out a friend! Also very weird that I keep using some form of the word "deep" here, isn't it? Hm, I wonder…
The book club meeting had been a success (by my standards, anyway—we had fun and nobody died).
But obviously (it's obvious, right?), Townsend is still managing to make all this weirdness fit together so well, like a combination Jackson Pollack and MC.Escher puzzle that someone solved with all the pieces upside down! You don't know how he's going to get things to where they end up but then you look and viola, it's done! A terrible analogy, sure, but you try and match what's accomplished here. Plus, you've got your normal collection of butterfly/raccoon/dragon-hybrids, blood-barfing goons and mean ol' meanies with far too many PhD's than anyone needs (trust me: I have one and it's useless). All this and modern cultural references as well! Golly!
The raccoons startle easily, but they’ll soon be back, and in greater numbers.
Still, readers beware: this is a darker book than any we've enjoyed so far - no seriously, we're talking DC films dark! And that's not even considering the possible existence of the dog-bats nor the bat-dogs. I've been clicking the ol' "horror/suspense" genre button on the previous books just, well, because but this time let's just say it's deserved and then some. I mean, I guess you could say he nails it. To the wall. While the dude is still alive even! But along with all this ak-tion (trust me on that spelling, ok?), we have to add to that broken romances, hostile take-overs, kidnappings galore, and more! A glitch in the matrix breaking through the 4th wall? Please, that would be a step up for poor Jack! Murder most foul, lots and lots of bodies, accidental cannabalism and just a few too many guns being pointed into peoples' faces for comfort. Oh and did I mention the, quote, nigh-indestructible slug-tongued monster grandma out there looking for murder, unquote? Hint: she finds it!
Within this nothing lived a horrible something. A being more chaotic than pure chaos, more evil than pure evil, more hateful than current politics.
And worst of all? That's right: capitalism rears its ugly head! Job terminations, articles of incorporation, as well as sales taxes (state AND county damn you!). And don't get me started on the insurance premiums (no really, it's simply because I don't understand any of that stuff). No matter how this is all going to work out by the end of the next book (will it though?), it sure isn't going to resemble a tippy-toe happy skip-along fade-out of yore (won't it though?). Even if these hills may literally be alive (trust me: the minute ANYONE begins talking about how bright the moon is, RUN!)!
…whatever subconscious vestige of my caveman brain that evolved to automatically detect and react to certain threats was blowing up in that moment…
All-in-all, mighty fine reading y'all. Now get outta my way, I'm heading towards the home stretch! Well, according to the Russian radio at least. Though it feels like it's somehow mimicking me… Extra credit: what other names besides Benjamin would the whole renaming thing work for? That was really cool! Well, depending on how much you remember…
The voice faded from my ears, leaving behind a tender incorporeal pain, like a sunburn on my psyche.
October 26, 2025
“I remember everything.”
عاممم، اولش خیلی خوب شروع شد، فکر کردم قراره اون نوجوونهایی که اومدن تو پمپ بنزین قراره دوباره وارد داستان بشن، ولی ناامید شدم. کنجکاو بودم ببینم قراره چه اتفاقی براشون بیوفته.
حس میکنم تو این جلد اون اکیپ تو جلد قبلی -جک، امیلیا، جری، رزا- خیلی کمرنگ بودن. چون آخر جلد دوم با هر چهار نفرشون تموم شد و جک basically گفت اینا خانوادهشن، انتظار داشتم این جلد حتی بیشتر ازشون بخونم، ولی خب بازم یکم ناامید شدم:(
با اینکه بیشتر از ۴۰۰ صفحه داشت، ولی حس میکنم داستانش خیلی all over the place بود و از هر پلات یکم بهمون میداد و میپرید به یه پلات بعدی.
نمیدونم، شاید هم همهچیزش اوکی بوده و فقط من بهخاطر درگیریهای ذهنی نتونستم اونطور که باید ازش لذت ببرم، ولی خب در کل از دو جلد قبلی کمتر دوستش داشتم، و امیدوارم جلد آخر بهتر از این باشه.
عاممم، اولش خیلی خوب شروع شد، فکر کردم قراره اون نوجوونهایی که اومدن تو پمپ بنزین قراره دوباره وارد داستان بشن، ولی ناامید شدم. کنجکاو بودم ببینم قراره چه اتفاقی براشون بیوفته.
حس میکنم تو این جلد اون اکیپ تو جلد قبلی -جک، امیلیا، جری، رزا- خیلی کمرنگ بودن. چون آخر جلد دوم با هر چهار نفرشون تموم شد و جک basically گفت اینا خانوادهشن، انتظار داشتم این جلد حتی بیشتر ازشون بخونم، ولی خب بازم یکم ناامید شدم:(
با اینکه بیشتر از ۴۰۰ صفحه داشت، ولی حس میکنم داستانش خیلی all over the place بود و از هر پلات یکم بهمون میداد و میپرید به یه پلات بعدی.
نمیدونم، شاید هم همهچیزش اوکی بوده و فقط من بهخاطر درگیریهای ذهنی نتونستم اونطور که باید ازش لذت ببرم، ولی خب در کل از دو جلد قبلی کمتر دوستش داشتم، و امیدوارم جلد آخر بهتر از این باشه.
December 18, 2023
The second half of this book easily deserves five stars — the character development, plot twists, and general worldbuilding is on a whole new level in this book. I couldn't put it down and read almost the entire thing in two sittings.
Once again, we follow Jack Townsend, insomniac gas station clerk and recent amputee, as he deals with the chaotic atmosphere of his town's enigmatic, inexplicable gas station. However, a new threat arises as a mysterious figure known only as the Collector begins gathering entities for an unknown purpose, transforming the people of Jack's town into ravenous monsters disguised as humans. Jack is forced to look past the appearances of his friends, enemies, and personal beliefs as he finds himself standing in the gap as the last guardian of a convenience store that is desired by every interplanetary being in the universe.
The only real issue I have with Tales from the Gas Station: Volume 3 is that it gets off to a slower start and doesn't really get riveting until about halfway through. In fact, the entire second half of the book displays incredible amounts of nuance, symbolism, and intelligence that far exceeds what you might expect. Townsend's use of "not everything is what it seems" applies to everything in the entire book, and it never ceases to be entertaining.
The shift in genre is more than welcome at this point, when readers could easily be getting burned out about Jack kind of having the most depressing life of all time. The moment Jack gets invigorated with his new responsibilities, he becomes one of the most complex, interesting characters I've ever read. His constant sardonic inner monologue never gets old. Naturally, the old familiar characters are their same lovable selves, but again, Townsend doesn't make the mistake of letting things get too run-of-the-mill without switching things up.
Indeed, the true strength of this book is its ability to play on the unexpected. Plus, the conclusion is appropriately high-stakes but low-energy in a way that is quite refreshing from the previous two books. Of course, everything in Tales from the Gas Station: Volume 3 is setting up for the grand finale in the final book, but it comes to an excellent end that is both satisfying and thrilling.
Overall, I am both excited to read the final book but also sad that my first time reading this series in novel form will soon be over. Jack's writing style is so easy to binge-read, and the Tales from the Gas Station series is easily one of the most readable things you'll ever pick up. Volume 3 is probably the best example of that so far.
Once again, we follow Jack Townsend, insomniac gas station clerk and recent amputee, as he deals with the chaotic atmosphere of his town's enigmatic, inexplicable gas station. However, a new threat arises as a mysterious figure known only as the Collector begins gathering entities for an unknown purpose, transforming the people of Jack's town into ravenous monsters disguised as humans. Jack is forced to look past the appearances of his friends, enemies, and personal beliefs as he finds himself standing in the gap as the last guardian of a convenience store that is desired by every interplanetary being in the universe.
The only real issue I have with Tales from the Gas Station: Volume 3 is that it gets off to a slower start and doesn't really get riveting until about halfway through. In fact, the entire second half of the book displays incredible amounts of nuance, symbolism, and intelligence that far exceeds what you might expect. Townsend's use of "not everything is what it seems" applies to everything in the entire book, and it never ceases to be entertaining.
The shift in genre is more than welcome at this point, when readers could easily be getting burned out about Jack kind of having the most depressing life of all time. The moment Jack gets invigorated with his new responsibilities, he becomes one of the most complex, interesting characters I've ever read. His constant sardonic inner monologue never gets old. Naturally, the old familiar characters are their same lovable selves, but again, Townsend doesn't make the mistake of letting things get too run-of-the-mill without switching things up.
Indeed, the true strength of this book is its ability to play on the unexpected. Plus, the conclusion is appropriately high-stakes but low-energy in a way that is quite refreshing from the previous two books. Of course, everything in Tales from the Gas Station: Volume 3 is setting up for the grand finale in the final book, but it comes to an excellent end that is both satisfying and thrilling.
Overall, I am both excited to read the final book but also sad that my first time reading this series in novel form will soon be over. Jack's writing style is so easy to binge-read, and the Tales from the Gas Station series is easily one of the most readable things you'll ever pick up. Volume 3 is probably the best example of that so far.
July 16, 2024
I know there's a 4th, and some side stories, but this felt like a conclusion... and a beginning. I loved it as much as I loved the first two, though it does drag a bit in the middle where I feel some more ruthless editing could have been suggested to keep the story's momentum going like it did through the first couple books.
Still, loved it. What a weird, strange story, and I love it.
Still, loved it. What a weird, strange story, and I love it.
October 30, 2025
woowee these just keep getting better. On to the last volume...
July 11, 2022
The book was extremely irritating to get through compared to the first two. While the humor is still intact and there are new additions of enjoyable characters to help flesh out who Jack really is, or is at least what he's perceived as by the rest of the world, there is also too many repeating tropes in this long drawn out volume of an otherwise enjoyable series.
A giant chunk of this book was just Jack stumbling around in insanity, ranting and raving in his delusions and dragging the reader along with it. Like, we get it. You're going crazy, Jack. Half of what you're seeing isn't real and the other half is insane, but real. But do we really need another 10 whole chapters about how shit's just going down the drain and he's mentally deteriorating? I almost dropped the whole book halfway through that slough of an arc and only picked it back up because I do truly enjoy the characters and the overarching plot.
It makes it so much more frustrating when a lot of these issues stem from Jack himself: refusing to communicate to friends, refusing to tell people the whole story, refusing to do anything to help himself and the people around him. Like a bad horror movie trope that he himself made fun of in the first goddamn chapter. The last two books he actually tried to do better - this time, he just pushes everyone away for no good reason and flip flops between cowering in pain and insanity or running around mucking up his confused friends' lives. It's extremely pathetic to watch/read. Before, he was an apathetic sort of straight man trope, refusing to go along with any of the paranormal bullshit happening around him yet actively taking part in the solution - but now? He's just a helpless pinball tossed from bad situation to worse situation, doing nothing and helping no one. The reliance on multiple deus ex machina's in order to not only dig Jack out of the massive grave he's in, but to actually force the listless fuck to finally DO something felt like such a cop out - even though it's happened in the previous volumes! Yet this time, it felt cheap and lazy.
It was upsetting how this story was resolved. It was upsetting how much fluff text was added just to say nothing and amount to nothing; you can cut the whole Jack is Losing It in the Gas Station in half and lose nothing. However - because I do like this series - I will say in its defense, considering the situation and the "demons" that Jack is up against this time, it makes some sense why he's so pathetic this time around. There is no one to take care of everything and smooth it all away anymore. Jack's in the big seat now and he's fumbling it hard. AND there's some asshole creature trying to break his fragile mental state even more? Tough luck. I only wish that there wasn't so much padding in what could've been much more enjoyable as a shorter read.
A giant chunk of this book was just Jack stumbling around in insanity, ranting and raving in his delusions and dragging the reader along with it. Like, we get it. You're going crazy, Jack. Half of what you're seeing isn't real and the other half is insane, but real. But do we really need another 10 whole chapters about how shit's just going down the drain and he's mentally deteriorating? I almost dropped the whole book halfway through that slough of an arc and only picked it back up because I do truly enjoy the characters and the overarching plot.
It makes it so much more frustrating when a lot of these issues stem from Jack himself: refusing to communicate to friends, refusing to tell people the whole story, refusing to do anything to help himself and the people around him. Like a bad horror movie trope that he himself made fun of in the first goddamn chapter. The last two books he actually tried to do better - this time, he just pushes everyone away for no good reason and flip flops between cowering in pain and insanity or running around mucking up his confused friends' lives. It's extremely pathetic to watch/read. Before, he was an apathetic sort of straight man trope, refusing to go along with any of the paranormal bullshit happening around him yet actively taking part in the solution - but now? He's just a helpless pinball tossed from bad situation to worse situation, doing nothing and helping no one. The reliance on multiple deus ex machina's in order to not only dig Jack out of the massive grave he's in, but to actually force the listless fuck to finally DO something felt like such a cop out - even though it's happened in the previous volumes! Yet this time, it felt cheap and lazy.
It was upsetting how this story was resolved. It was upsetting how much fluff text was added just to say nothing and amount to nothing; you can cut the whole Jack is Losing It in the Gas Station in half and lose nothing. However - because I do like this series - I will say in its defense, considering the situation and the "demons" that Jack is up against this time, it makes some sense why he's so pathetic this time around. There is no one to take care of everything and smooth it all away anymore. Jack's in the big seat now and he's fumbling it hard. AND there's some asshole creature trying to break his fragile mental state even more? Tough luck. I only wish that there wasn't so much padding in what could've been much more enjoyable as a shorter read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2024
Read Count: 2
- MC: Jack
- POVs Included: Single Male POV (Jack)
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)
In Volume 3, everything is falling apart. A new enemy known as The Collector is wreaking havoc. Everyone in town is acting violent and out of character. And Jack feels like he is losing his mind as all of his friends are either dying, lost, left, or forgetting things.
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
UPDATED REVIEW (01/03/2024):
UPDATED RATING (3 STARS)
As with the first time I read this, I still found this one more confusing and difficult to follow than the first couple of volumes. A lot of things happen and in the end lots of things seem undone. It's just hard to keep track of what actually happened, what didn't, and what's been changed.
I am still enjoying these and I look forward to reading the final volume, but I am hoping we get some key answers in that volume, like what the gas station really is.
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
ORIGINAL REVIEW (12/03/2022):
ORIGINAL RATING (3 STARS)
In this one Jack is faced with his biggest foe to date. When the owners of the gas station die and he is left as the owner, he finds himself facing down someone who wants to take the gas station from him. And while all this is happening the people from his town seem like they are being replaced by imposters. Lots of baddies and everything seems to be going wrong.
I did not like this one as much as the first two books.
First off, Jack is so alone in this one. All his friends seem to be dying or leaving or forgetting everything and it makes for a very lonely atmosphere.
Also it was confusing as fuck. I still have no idea what’s real and what was in his head, who was a mimic, or who died and who didn’t. It was just all a big mindfuck. I’m seriously starting to wonder if Jack just has schizophrenia and it’s all in his mind.
And then there’s the fact that everything is basically reset at the end. All of this shit happens and then it’s all undone. Poof! Sure, a few things are different in the end, but ultimately everything that just happened is reset. I hate when books do this. It’s such a cop out device.
So yeah, not as good as the first two. I will definitely be listening to the conclusion as an audiobook when it finally comes out, but I hope it’s a more of a clean cut conclusion than this one was.
- MC: Jack
- POVs Included: Single Male POV (Jack)
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)
In Volume 3, everything is falling apart. A new enemy known as The Collector is wreaking havoc. Everyone in town is acting violent and out of character. And Jack feels like he is losing his mind as all of his friends are either dying, lost, left, or forgetting things.
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
UPDATED REVIEW (01/03/2024):
UPDATED RATING (3 STARS)
As with the first time I read this, I still found this one more confusing and difficult to follow than the first couple of volumes. A lot of things happen and in the end lots of things seem undone. It's just hard to keep track of what actually happened, what didn't, and what's been changed.
I am still enjoying these and I look forward to reading the final volume, but I am hoping we get some key answers in that volume, like what the gas station really is.
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
ORIGINAL REVIEW (12/03/2022):
ORIGINAL RATING (3 STARS)
In this one Jack is faced with his biggest foe to date. When the owners of the gas station die and he is left as the owner, he finds himself facing down someone who wants to take the gas station from him. And while all this is happening the people from his town seem like they are being replaced by imposters. Lots of baddies and everything seems to be going wrong.
I did not like this one as much as the first two books.
First off, Jack is so alone in this one. All his friends seem to be dying or leaving or forgetting everything and it makes for a very lonely atmosphere.
Also it was confusing as fuck. I still have no idea what’s real and what was in his head, who was a mimic, or who died and who didn’t. It was just all a big mindfuck. I’m seriously starting to wonder if Jack just has schizophrenia and it’s all in his mind.
And then there’s the fact that everything is basically reset at the end. All of this shit happens and then it’s all undone. Poof! Sure, a few things are different in the end, but ultimately everything that just happened is reset. I hate when books do this. It’s such a cop out device.
So yeah, not as good as the first two. I will definitely be listening to the conclusion as an audiobook when it finally comes out, but I hope it’s a more of a clean cut conclusion than this one was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2023
My mind was literally BLOWN AWAY by this third installment in the series! The first two books were great, but the third one held quite the package 😍🔥 I realized I hadn't reached the last few chapters when I was listening to the narration by IG : @billytheskeleton / YouTube : Mr.Creepypasta. Needless to say my thoughts were spiraling by the end of it! 😱😱😱
I can't even begin to describe how TWISTED the story gets with each chapter! And for some reason, I'm completely and utterly OBSESSED with it!!! ❤❤❤ I've been in LOVE with it for probably 3 or 4 years now, and that hasn't changed! Each time I get back to it, I end up discovering new things I missed before. And each time my heart squeezes a little tighter for Jack and his constant battle with mental health 😭💔 not knowing what's real and what's not, not being able to trust your own mind must be such a painful experience! Which makes me feel even more empathetic towards people suffering from similar health issues 💔
This part of the story was filled with all kinds of craziness, emotions and suspense which did NOT fail to capture my attention, right until I finished the book! I have NO DOUBT whatsoever that the fourth one will be EVEN BETTER!!! 😍❤🔥 I LOVED the part where a certain character mentioned the fact that there would be a fourth book and that made me laugh quite a bit! 🤣❤ but what made my brain stop working was the ending! And if I didn't know there was a fourth book in the series, or if I had finished the third before the fourth was out, I might've lost my mind right then because WHAT A FREAKING CLIFFHANGER!!! 😱😱😱😍😍😍❤❤❤
Put shortly : if you haven't read this series and if you trust my reviews, GO READ THIS SERIES RIGHT. AWAY!!!
I can't even begin to describe how TWISTED the story gets with each chapter! And for some reason, I'm completely and utterly OBSESSED with it!!! ❤❤❤ I've been in LOVE with it for probably 3 or 4 years now, and that hasn't changed! Each time I get back to it, I end up discovering new things I missed before. And each time my heart squeezes a little tighter for Jack and his constant battle with mental health 😭💔 not knowing what's real and what's not, not being able to trust your own mind must be such a painful experience! Which makes me feel even more empathetic towards people suffering from similar health issues 💔
This part of the story was filled with all kinds of craziness, emotions and suspense which did NOT fail to capture my attention, right until I finished the book! I have NO DOUBT whatsoever that the fourth one will be EVEN BETTER!!! 😍❤🔥 I LOVED the part where a certain character mentioned the fact that there would be a fourth book and that made me laugh quite a bit! 🤣❤ but what made my brain stop working was the ending! And if I didn't know there was a fourth book in the series, or if I had finished the third before the fourth was out, I might've lost my mind right then because WHAT A FREAKING CLIFFHANGER!!! 😱😱😱😍😍😍❤❤❤
Put shortly : if you haven't read this series and if you trust my reviews, GO READ THIS SERIES RIGHT. AWAY!!!
November 21, 2020
The things that Jack Townsend experiences are getting more beyond comprehension. He seems to be acting like a psychotic, yet, the things that happen have a bit of credibility to them. Rosa is a great character in this book, and I started to question why Jerry (Leroy) was such a good friend to Jack. We learn about Jerry’s background and it was not surprising.
The scene where Beaux calls Jack and refuses to identify himself except to say that he is Jack’s greatest enemy and Jack starts guessing a list of his enemies was hysterical. I am curious about what we will learn about his prosthetic leg, I think the leg has lots of abilities he hasn’t discovered yet. The ‘reset’ allows the story to continue. The last line of this book promises some wild, out there adventures in the next.
I just finished this book. This series inspired me to add a “WTF” bookshelf to my Goodreads shelves. I have tried to explain the books to my husband but I find myself saying that I don’t know how to describe these books, yet I am hooked. Impatiently waiting for Book 4
The scene where Beaux calls Jack and refuses to identify himself except to say that he is Jack’s greatest enemy and Jack starts guessing a list of his enemies was hysterical. I am curious about what we will learn about his prosthetic leg, I think the leg has lots of abilities he hasn’t discovered yet. The ‘reset’ allows the story to continue. The last line of this book promises some wild, out there adventures in the next.
I just finished this book. This series inspired me to add a “WTF” bookshelf to my Goodreads shelves. I have tried to explain the books to my husband but I find myself saying that I don’t know how to describe these books, yet I am hooked. Impatiently waiting for Book 4
December 11, 2020
This one is 3.5 stars and rounding up.
I'm always happy to hear more about Jack's odd adventures but this volume seemed to lack structure.
There is an attempt to blur the lines between reality and the dream world to make the listener question Jack's version of events. Sadly this makes it hard to follow the narrative making it less like a full story and more an on-going series that just so happens to be in one audio file... and out of sequence!
Overall it was still a fun if confusing listen. I do prefer Volumes one for it's creativity and volume two for a better story structure though.
I'm always happy to hear more about Jack's odd adventures but this volume seemed to lack structure.
There is an attempt to blur the lines between reality and the dream world to make the listener question Jack's version of events. Sadly this makes it hard to follow the narrative making it less like a full story and more an on-going series that just so happens to be in one audio file... and out of sequence!
Overall it was still a fun if confusing listen. I do prefer Volumes one for it's creativity and volume two for a better story structure though.
April 16, 2020
The fourth book can't come quick enough.
Wow, having just reread the second book and power reading the third I am just shocked by the story. To be honest I had no clue where the story was going as I followed it online, but seeing it all come together is so satisfying.
(SPOILERS)
I'm really happy you didn't forever kill off my favorite character. Or maybe you did, which would hurt my feelings, but I'm hoping you didn't.
Anyways, great book, and perfect timing on the release.
Wow, having just reread the second book and power reading the third I am just shocked by the story. To be honest I had no clue where the story was going as I followed it online, but seeing it all come together is so satisfying.
(SPOILERS)
I'm really happy you didn't forever kill off my favorite character. Or maybe you did, which would hurt my feelings, but I'm hoping you didn't.
Anyways, great book, and perfect timing on the release.
April 19, 2020
Thoroughly satisfying!
If you've read the previous two books, I'm sure you're familiar with that strange, nagging sense that there are so many loose ends you so desperately need to see tied up. Volume 3 delivers on so many levels. I sincerely hope I'm not reading too much into what appears to be a nice bit of foreshadowing, but as long as this series is being written I will most certainly be purchasing each new installment.
If you've read the previous two books, I'm sure you're familiar with that strange, nagging sense that there are so many loose ends you so desperately need to see tied up. Volume 3 delivers on so many levels. I sincerely hope I'm not reading too much into what appears to be a nice bit of foreshadowing, but as long as this series is being written I will most certainly be purchasing each new installment.
April 22, 2023
Reading these books (1-3 so far) make me feel like I’ve lost mind and grip on what reality should look like, and I absolutely love it. The slow bits and then straight balls to walls chaos has me hooked like a junkie. I want it and I need it.
March 11, 2024
Unhinged and funny
July 15, 2024
i hope this book series never stops being weird
September 18, 2022
FINALLY some things about this series get explained and resolved. Finally we circle back to a bunch of stuff, certain things get explained!!!!
Now... I will say something about this series. It's so weird and has so many elements, you have to read them relatively close to each other, otherwise you will forget a bunch of the fever dream type shit that goes down. Great for a binge, if you are so inclined.
So far, this is the most seriously horror of the books. The other two had fucked up, gory stuff, but this seems to have longer stretches of just dark stuff and everything going wrong for our characters. Jack reaches his deepest point yet.
It also really leans into the whole idea of Jack being unreliable in so many different ways that by the end you don't even know in what way you should accept that this is not happening. Or is it? All in all, things go super trippy.
One thing you need to know; it's unlikely you will be able to solve any of the mysteries yourself. The story is just too unpredictable and seemingly random for anyone to really be able to reason it. Maybe you can write things on a board and throw a dart into it, whatever it hits is your theory. That would probably be the most accurate way to do this.
I'm still not entirely in love with the typical "small town America is like the most awful thing, we are too special for such a place". It's still a bit yuppie, a bit too "I'm smarter than the pleb", but otherwise it's fine.
Now... I will say something about this series. It's so weird and has so many elements, you have to read them relatively close to each other, otherwise you will forget a bunch of the fever dream type shit that goes down. Great for a binge, if you are so inclined.
So far, this is the most seriously horror of the books. The other two had fucked up, gory stuff, but this seems to have longer stretches of just dark stuff and everything going wrong for our characters. Jack reaches his deepest point yet.
It also really leans into the whole idea of Jack being unreliable in so many different ways that by the end you don't even know in what way you should accept that this is not happening. Or is it? All in all, things go super trippy.
One thing you need to know; it's unlikely you will be able to solve any of the mysteries yourself. The story is just too unpredictable and seemingly random for anyone to really be able to reason it. Maybe you can write things on a board and throw a dart into it, whatever it hits is your theory. That would probably be the most accurate way to do this.
I'm still not entirely in love with the typical "small town America is like the most awful thing, we are too special for such a place". It's still a bit yuppie, a bit too "I'm smarter than the pleb", but otherwise it's fine.
May 21, 2023
Willikers! I love these books so much. I actually really don't want to read the fourth because then I'll be done. Out of the three volumes I've read, I liked this the least. Mainly due to the last 1/4 of the book. It just got really wonky and disjointed for me, and I wanted to follow it...I really did. But it was a little confusing. Maybe Vol. 4 will tie it up in a nice bow, who knows?! I gotta say I'm in love with Jerry and that's my ideal best bud, so I'm glad Jack has him around. So many unanswered questions still!
August 11, 2024
“I remember everything.”
---
What a ride these books are. At first it's hard to get used to the weirdness pacing of the story, especially since I take my time with this series, but as soon as I'm caught up it feels like I'm driving a racing car with my eyes closed.
And I'm saying this as a compliment, mind you.
I need to take a breather and simmer with all the info I've got here. Gotta let Jack rest a bit before I pick up the next book. Regardless, I think this is my favourite of the bunch so far.
Five stars.
---
What a ride these books are. At first it's hard to get used to the weirdness pacing of the story, especially since I take my time with this series, but as soon as I'm caught up it feels like I'm driving a racing car with my eyes closed.
And I'm saying this as a compliment, mind you.
I need to take a breather and simmer with all the info I've got here. Gotta let Jack rest a bit before I pick up the next book. Regardless, I think this is my favourite of the bunch so far.
Five stars.
August 6, 2025
“I fell into a realm that was more idea than place. Causality was obscene, time was spaghetti, and reality was a water balloon with a pin prick in its side in the shape of a gas station. I was, all at once, the number three-hundred-and-twelve, the color green, and a hat-obsessed ship captain from 1717.”
Man this books are getting crazier and better!! I can’t get enough of them!
Man this books are getting crazier and better!! I can’t get enough of them!
December 28, 2020
Darker than the previous two (when it comes to Jack's mental health) which made me enjoy it a little less. Still, one of my fave comedies, so I can't wait for the fourth one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2023
Love this series so far. Its been years since i originally listened to the podcast so i didnt remember a lot of the story. Excited for the next book !
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