The Side Quest Book Club Podcast
If you’re a reader looking for something deeper or an indie author working on your book, The Side Quest Book Club is for you. We skip the usual book reviews and ratings. Each episode turns fun side quests into real lessons, so you’ll leave not just entertained, but with a better understanding of why storytelling matters.
Episodes
We're still on Cradle, Side Questers. We are on the ninth book in Will Wight's Cradle series, Bloodline. And it gets a little spicy. Frankly, it's embarrassing. But only for Jonathan.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In Bloodline (Cradle Book 9) by Will Wight, Lindon returns to Sacred Valley to evacuate his family and villagers before the Wandering Titan Dreadgod destroys the area. Although he possesses great power, an ancient curse limits h...
This week, we go back to Cradle, Side Questers. We are on the ninth book in Will Wight's Cradle series, Bloodline. And it gets a little spicy. Frankly, it's embarrassing. But only for Jonathan.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In Bloodline (Cradle Book 9) by Will Wight, Lindon returns to Sacred Valley to evacuate his family and villagers before the Wandering Titan Dreadgod destroys the area. Although he possesses great power, an ancient curs...
This time, we sit down with author Debby Show. We talk generational trauma and her debut novel, Paper Novels. Author Debby Show is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and School Psychologist based in California. With years of experience with individuals and families, she brings a deep understanding of human behavior, relationships, and generational dynamics to her fiction.
00:00 Introduction to Debbie Show and 'Paper R...
Hey Side Questers! We are back with part 4 of our discussion of Nicholas Keating Casbarro's Vitalerium: Descent into the Void. Nick joins us for this final episode. We get a little taste of the next book in the series.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Nearly six centuries have passed since humanity discovered vitalerium, which ushered in a golden age of space exploration and colonization. Planet Deorum’s society is centered around this illust...
Hey Side Questers! We are back with part 3 of our discussion of Nicholas Keating Casbarro's Vitalerium: Descent into the Void.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Nearly six centuries have passed since humanity discovered vitalerium, which ushered in a golden age of space exploration and colonization. Planet Deorum’s society is centered around this illustrious, gravity-bending blue crystal. The year is 2701.
Following a near-fatal disaster, rough...
Hey Side Questers! We are back with part 2 of our discussion of Nicholas Keating Casbarro's Vitalerium: Descent into the Void.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Nearly six centuries have passed since humanity discovered vitalerium, which ushered in a golden age of space exploration and colonization. Planet Deorum’s society is centered around this illustrious, gravity-bending blue crystal. The year is 2701.
Following a near-fatal disaster, rough...
Hey Side Questers! Sorry about the late upload. Today, we dive into the first part of our discussion of Nicholas Keating Casbarro's Vitalerium: Descent into the Void.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Nearly six centuries have passed since humanity discovered vitalerium, which ushered in a golden age of space exploration and colonization. Planet Deorum’s society is centered around this illustrious, gravity-bending blue crystal. The year is 270...
We sat down with author and musician Callie Sioux Schiavone. Her book, She Had Glass Eyes, really drew us in. It explores how humanity and technology connect, blurring the line between reality and the narrator’s imagination.
Callie Sioux is a creative alchemist who uses multimedia to turn real-life adventures into fiction and entertainment. She is an author, musician, entrepreneur, podcaster, and music venue owner. Raised a...
Our discussion of She Had Glass Eyes, a book by C.S. Schiavone that explores how humanity and technology connect and blurs the line between reality and the narrator's imagination.
00:00 Introduction to 'She Had Glass Eyes'
10:04 Character Analysis: Dilly the Mortician
20:00 Themes of Obsession and Madness
30:02 Writing Style and Historical Context
Socials: @calliesioux @1232audioepic
Audio Epic https://audio-e...
Author Interview - Nicholas Keating Casbarro - Vitalerium Decent into the Void with Special Surprise
Our talk with Nicholas Keating Casbarro discussing his breakout novel Vitalerium.
Nearly six centuries have passed since humanity discovered vitalerium, which ushered in a golden age of space exploration and colonization. Planet Deorum’s society is centered around this illustrious, gravity-bending blue crystal. The year is 2701.
Following a near-fatal disaster, roughneck freelancer Roman Matthews becomes unwittingly trapped...
The quest: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. The result: We went ot hell and back! Dive into Katabasis by R.F. Kuang with our full-spoiler book club breakdown! Jess and Abby join the guys to continue their descent into hell to find out what Alice and Peter are up to.
Katabsis plot: Two rival PhD students descend into a hellish university campus to retrieve their abusive advisor’s soul—facing academic trials, betrayal, and dark revel...
The quest: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. The result: We went ot hell and back! Dive into Katabasis by R.F. Kuang with our full-spoiler book club breakdown! Two rival PhD students descend into a hellish university campus to retrieve their abusive advisor’s soul—facing academic trials, betrayal, and dark revelations. Is this dark academia masterpiece a 7/10 triumph or a pacing misfire? We debate character arcs, logic paradoxes, a...
Happy holidays to you all, Adventures. Thanks for tuning in. In this episode, Slava and Jonathan (joined by Josh, our intern) discuss A Christmas Carol, a classic novella by Charles Dickens, first published in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. The story follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy miser, as he is visited by the ghosts of Jacob Marley, Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, leading to his moral redemption and t...
In this episode of The SideQuest Book Club Podcast, Slava and Jonathan—joined by Casey, JT, and Spenser— continued to break down Wintersteel from Will Wight’s Cradle series. The guys explore character dynamics, relationships, and major themes of identity, growth, and progression fantasy. The conversation highlights foreshadowing, power dynamics, hubris, and how literacy, wealth, and opportunity shape advancement in the Cra...
In Part 2 of Will Wight’s Wintersteel. The SideQuest Book Club Podcast hosts, Slava and Jonathan, dive deeper into breaking down major themes of character development, including Aethon’s unique sight, Mercy’s public humiliation, and Yerin’s intense training and evolving bond with her Blood Shadow. The discussion builds toward the final battle, where Yerin undergoes a powerful transformation that opens a conversation about ...
Hey Adventurers! Back to the Cradle we go. In this episode, we delve into the eighth book of the Cradle series, Wintersteel, exploring the intricacies of the Uncrowned King Tournament and its implications for power dynamics among factions. Slava and Jonathan discuss character developments, particularly focusing on Linden, Yeren, and Aethon, while also addressing the emotional stakes and romantic elements that add depth to ...
In this episode of The Side Quest Book Club Podcast, hosts Slava and Jonathan (again) dive into Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. This conversation delves into themes, character development, and the implications of hubris and chaos theory. The hosts discuss the narrative structure that keeps readers engaged. They analyze the illusion of control and the importance of subplots, ultimately reflecting on the storytelling tech...
In this episode of The Side Quest Book Club Podcast, hosts Slava and Jonathan dive into Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. They explore the novel’s core themes—hubris, chaos theory, and the illusion of control in science—while unpacking its character development and layered storytelling. The discussion also covers Crichton’s background, the lasting success of the Jurassic Park franchise, and the narrative techniques that m...
In this episode of The Side Quest Book Club Podcast, JT and Casey surprise Jonathan with their scheduled appearance. We finish our trek across Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch.
Discover Side Quest: https://linktr.ee/asidequest
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In this episode of The Side Quest Book Club Podcast, we cover chapters 12–16 of Scott Lynch’s Red Seas Under Red Skies. We examine loyalty, love, and the consequences of choices, leading to a confrontation with Straggos. Jonathan and Slava discuss the impact of character deaths, heist planning, and the twists that drive the story, highlighting Lynch’s character development and storytelling.
Discover Side Quest: https://link...
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