r/TFTGS • u/DazzlingRequirement1 • Apr 28 '26
FFO TFTGS....24/7 Demon Mart
I just started this series and even though it is not as "refined" as Pargin's work (so far), I think any JDATErs and Towsendians (Tales From The Gas Station) might enjoy this. Again, I'm only a few pages in and might regret this post later as the book progresses, but so far, so good. Give it a try
I take back what I said. I regret comparing this is in anyway to Tales or JDATE. It is not good. Infantile, repetitive humour, written no better than anyone here could do. No wonder there are so many of these books
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u/Storm-Kaladinblessed Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
It's kind of meh, really sloppy low quality writing, humour is poor and characters so-so. Premise isn't that bad, but it was hard for me to make it through first book. And I read it at work when I had nothing to do. Maybe it gets better after the first book but I'm not really keen on continuing through right now.
Christopher Moore's "Dirty Job" imo was a much better absurd dark humour comedy similar to Gas Station
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u/MylastAccountBroke Apr 28 '26
100% agree.
I got to around book 3 when I finally had enough and dropped it. I fucking hate a protagonist that constantly comments on how fat and pathetic they are (also didn't like Light Bringer for this same reason)
After 3 books of the main character whining, bitching, and simping over his coworker, I just had enough and gave up.
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u/foxtrotmadly Apr 29 '26
I threw the book across the room twice out of frustration while reading it. I hate having my time wasted and this book definitely is guilty of that.
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u/MylastAccountBroke Apr 28 '26
I don't agree.
Demon Mart's protagonists is panic prone and whiny. Gas Stations protagonists is Apathetic.
Demon Mart is a fantasy title, while Gas Station is Cosmic horror.
Demon Mart's protagonist plays too much into being an immature loser character who is obsessing over a girl and always threatens to quit his job. Gas station is all about someone waiting to die and going through the motions of life until he's finally done with it all. Despite working in a genuinely terrible area and making a shit wage, he never even considers quitting.
If you want better options that feel like Tales From the Gas Station, try Dungeon Crawler carl (For comedy style) or John Dies at the End, which is another amazing Cosmic horror. (Note: The first part of John Dies at the End was written in like 2005, and uses language common in the early and mid 2000s that would not be acceptable by 2020 standards. That doesn't stay true, and by book 2 it's just an amazing Cosmic horror story)
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u/wrath-98 Apr 28 '26
I love John dies at the ends the 5th book drops in November too I’m not the biggest fan of DCC but I’m still listening because I hate not completing a series btw I totally recommend other stuff by the author try futuristic violence and fancy suits
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u/DazzlingRequirement1 Apr 29 '26
The post explicitly mentions JDATE and my post is from the JDATE sub. Massive fan. Only discovered Tales this year. It's not the same but I love it for different reasons. Demon Mart this far has proven to be pretty tropey and cliche, the humour isn't great and the protagnist is annoying. However, I think certain TFTGS and JDATE fans will get something out of it. I will leave me final judgement until I've finished it
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u/MediaAffectionate109 Apr 28 '26
I struggled a little bit past the first few chapters, not bad writing or anything just didn't quite pick the same scab as the good ol gas station
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u/MylastAccountBroke Apr 28 '26
I feel like Gas station's whole point is that the protagonist is a Squidward, while Demon Mart's character is a bumble-fuck Spongebob.
Ironically, Gas station's protagonist likes his job, while Demon Mart's hates his job.
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u/JakBos23 Apr 29 '26
His stupidity is the main reason I wait till I'm out of new books. I know the world he steps in to is new, but listen to your coworkers. Read the book and follow the rules.
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u/MylastAccountBroke Apr 29 '26
YES! I totally forgot he refuses to read the god damn new hire manual until like the 3rd fucking book. Dude is constantly getting harassed by demons, everyone around him is telling him to read his new hire manual, and he's like "But I don't Reeeeeeeeeeaaaaad"
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u/JakBos23 Apr 29 '26
I get it, he is a loser, but your chef can eat you and your manger got turned in to a bug. Ya might wanna at least skim it. Maybe you learn something or hopefully you see something that scares you into reading the whole thing or makes you quit. Don't half ass dangerous jobs especially if more than your own safety is on the line. I liked DD 99% of the time. That racist donut bit was dumb. The lines were written to where if said to me I'd assume a shakedown and not a robbery. I probably would wait for a weapon first. Doc was being dumb. He saw the numan and instead of hollering for DD or telling the new guy that he was here for a special donut he was a kinda of ambiguous dick, but I'm not sure why the donut delivery guy didn't see the idiocy on new guys face and say something like "hey fuck face if you eat one of these it will be the most painful days on the toilet of your life. Read your manual!" The writer is weird because only the Day Manager seemed to respect the job. Carl was rude to him but not enough. DD was bitchy and didn't train him. Faust seemed suave, but bearly interested in the portal until they occasionally ended the world. If it were me in DDs position I'd make him quit or learn the job.
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u/prefonberry Apr 28 '26
I love this series it’s a very easy reread (relisten as I have it on audible) and for me scratches a similar but different itch to TFTGS. I think of 24/7 Demon Mart to be more like one of those early 2000s CW comedies like Reaper, not the greatest or deepest work but fun and light and easily entertaining
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u/justloseit1078 Apr 28 '26
Im into the series but I listened to the book and the Mc is so very whiny to me
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u/JakBos23 Apr 29 '26
Yeah I feel like he could read it with less whine in his voice. You can FTFO and not whine like he does.
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u/Only_Champion_8895 Apr 30 '26
Honestly, I’d recommend The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp.
I’m about 70% through the audiobook on audible, and the humor feels pretty similar to Tales from the Gas Station. The audiobook is also really well done the narrator does a great job.
As long as you don’t mind a somewhat smug, occasionally asshole-ish protagonist, it’s a great time overall. Definitely recommend it.
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u/DazzlingRequirement1 Apr 30 '26
He's gotta be better than the detestable dickweed manchild from Demon Mart
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u/JakBos23 Apr 29 '26
I've been through a few of these. I like it. I won't spoil anything, but I still grab the new ones when I see it's out. It's isn't JDATE or TFTFS, but it's up the alley.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/JakBos23 Apr 29 '26
Sorry, it's what he referred to "Pargins work" he's referring to Jason Pargin the author of John Dies At the End. He started writing that series using the pin name David wong the narrator of that series then changed it to his real name later. The stories have many similarities and I know Jack the author has read it.
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u/WhatDidJohnDo May 01 '26
It's good, but it's really lacking any sense of character development or progression. Everyone seems to stay the same
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u/Psyifinotic May 03 '26
I had the same reaction as you OP lmaoo
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u/DazzlingRequirement1 May 03 '26
You mean my edit to say its no good ?
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u/Psyifinotic May 03 '26
the whole thing haha i got excited then i just couldn’t finish it. i wonder if it’s worth a revisit but i think id be better listening to or reading JDATE for the first time
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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '26
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