The Station 17 Chronicles by Oli Jacobs | Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Welcome to Station 17...A research station based in the northern Atlantic Ocean, it was built to research the depths below, but now is home to madness and mayhem. In these 2 tales set aboard the titular location, two men will find themselves driven to the edge of sanity, where they will choose whether to hold on, or jump off the deep end.From the writer of the Filmic Cuts series of short stories, and noir thriller Wrapped Up In Nothing, comes a story influenced by the likes of The Thing and The Shining. Welcome aboard the station, and good luck.

Another year is drawing a close and whilst the times we are living in Is unknown and uncertain, one thing has become abundantly clear; we can rely on books to get us through.  2020 has brought me some new authors, especially ones that publish independently.  The Station 17 Chronicles is the second book I have read and reviewed by Oli Jacobs and I’m stunned once again by his sharp wit, well-structured prose, and fantastical storylines.  He has become a must-read author and I will go on to read his back catalogue.  He was able to shock me and make my head implode with his stonker novel, Wilthaven. 

The Station 17 Chronicles created both anticipation and excitement.  Jacobs can stir emotions in me that make me excited to start his next book and to rekindle just what I have always loved about reading, escapism.  Jacobs knows just how to deliver those jugular shots.  Horror and gore, in both a narrative sense and a psychological one are delivered by him at point blank range.  At different points I had one eye closed trying to read the next ghastly goings on.  If I visibly gagged its because Jacobs delivered on the horror and then some. 

The Station 17 Chronicles was a curious title.  If truth be known, I have always found rigs to be quite ominous.  The loneliness would be enough to sink me into the depths of mental illness never mind the thought of something hunting me on one with no-one to help.  I had so many thoughts and feelings floating around whilst reading it and my brain and mouth couldn’t keep up with the scenes being assaulted into my psyche.  Jacobs loves to take you on a wander of depravity…you just don’t know where you’ll end up. 

When I was approached to review these, I didn’t even read the blurb.  I have that much faith in Jacobs, the journey may be precarious but, in the end, he knows what his readers want. 

So, you want to hear more about the book?  Well, if you enjoy your books with bite, a horrifying story that impinges upon the outer reaches of both humanity and mental health then this book will keep you riveted.  Like I said, mental health is very much at the centre of this intoxicating story.   Its like a stalker sneaking up on you…you know something is going to jump out on you but it’s a question of where it is going to happen.  The rig is out on the artic sea and the one word that instantly springs to mind is, Cold.  Everything about it, from the sinister undertones to the atmosphere of the story. 

Mental health and desperation.  Two words that go together like coffee and cream. 

The Station 17 Chronicles is both eerie and thrilling all at once, I was completely mesmerised.  Its strength is the bleak outlook of humanity and the chilling atmosphere.  Absolutely gripping.

ABOUT OLI JACOBS

Oli Jacobs is a writer of words. Sometimes they are very short, sometimes they are very long. Overall, though, they are worth the power of your eyeballs. These words take on the form of twisted tales about manic decadents, adventurous spacemen, and terrifying horrors in the darkness.

Either way, he hopes you enjoy these words, and will join him on his journey down the crazy paving of creativity.

Oli can be found on Twitter as @olijacobsauthor, or located on Facebook at Facebook.com/OJBooks