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Artwork for The Side Quest Book Club Podcast

The Side Quest Book Club Podcast

Slava & Jonathan
Pet Sematary
Words Of Radiance
Crime and Punishment
Project Hail Mary
Stephen King
Vitalerium
The Girl With All the Gifts
Cradle
Red Seas Under Red Skies
Pride and Prejudice
Sunrise On the Reaping
Wintersteel
Uncrowned King Tournament
Brandon Sanderson
The Hunger Games
Raskolnikov
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Paper Roses
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Kaladin

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes197Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsFictionScience Fiction

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Artwork for The Side Quest Book Club Podcast

Latest Episodes

One of us read all eight books. The other read one and isn't on the hype train yeWe break down what to know before you read DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL by Matt Dinniman — spoiler-free, with a marked spoiler gate for books two through eight.

Slava gives boo... more

YouTube

72 agent queries, 64 rejections, and a Christian horror writer who isn't slowing down.

Indie horror author Audra Kate joins us to talk Tomato Juice, her querying manuscript Festering Shadows, and writing horror as a person of faith.

Audra Kate has ... more

YouTube

Our guest had to put this book down for two weeks. Chapter 35 named the date.

We close out PET SEMATARY by Stephen King with John, the listener who talked us into reading it — full spoiler discussion, final episode of four.

John is the reason this ... more

YouTube

Grief driven by madness, or madness driven by grief? We never settled it.

We break down part three of PET SEMATARY by Stephen King — full spoiler discussion of the final act.

Gage is back, and nothing after that goes well. We argue about how much t... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Audra Kate Gonzalez
Horror author with 10 books published through self-publishing and indie presses; worship leader and communications specialist.
Episode: Indie Author Interview - AudraKate - Horror Author
Jules Mourne
Indie author and creator of Thing.Pub
Thing.Pub
Episode: The Author Platform the Book World Has Been Waiting For - thing.pub with Indie Author Jules Mourne
Rob Mortell
Indie fantasy author known for Tales And Treasure; author of Bards And Bargains in progress
Indie author/Writer
Episode: Rob Mortell Interview - Indie Author - Fantasy
Keon Shore
Author of The Ninth Path series, The Bad Apothecary
Author / Ninth Path
Episode: Indie Author Interview - Keon Shore - Progression Fantasy - Fantasy Book
Marc Avery
Thriller author discussing Discipline and his writing process
Indie author/Publisher
Episode: Indie Author Interview - Marc Avery - Crime Book - Thriller Book
Evan Kidwell
Indie author of Young Adult Fantasy, Timeaous Spark series
Author
Episode: Indie Author Interview - Evan Kidwell - Young Adult Fantasy
Mark Benson
Young adult writer, NASA ambassador and space enthusiast
NASA
Episode: Indie Author Interview - Mark Benson - Young Adult, Sci-Fi Thriller
Debbie Show
Author of Paper Roses and subject of the interview
Episode: Paper Roses Part 3 - Debbie Show - True Story - Thriller - Historical Fiction Book
Debby Show
Author of Paper Roses
Indie author
Episode: Paper Roses Part 2 - Debbie Show - True Story - Thriller - Historical Fiction Book

Hosts

Slava
Host of The Side Quest Book Club Podcast, drives interviews and discussion.
Jonathan
Host of the show, participates in discussions and moderates episodes.
Shiara
Co-host providing perspectives and leads discussions with hosts.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 21 ratings
  • Fun book club podcast

    Genuine and fun hosts discussing great books. Also good source to discover books I don’t think I would have otherwise known about from indie authors.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Citizen Unknown
    United States8 months ago
  • The “MUST LISTEN”

    I stumbled upon this show a few weeks ago and haven't stopped listening since. The chemistry between the hosts is incredible, and they have a way of making even complex topics feel easy to understand. If you're looking for something that is both entertaining and informative, this is it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RickyXdd
    Indiaa year ago
  • Great Podcast episode #54

    Great episode with Jonathan, Slava and Jess—so appreciated Jess’ contributions and her thoughts on Instagram poetry, Rupi Kaur and the role of aesthetics in gauging the health of a civilization.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Episode 54
    United States3 years ago
  • Great show

    Books and banter.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    theSlavas
    United States3 years ago
  • Interesting and fun

    Great show. I like the camaraderie between the hosts—makes for an enjoyable listen. Never heard of the first story they reviewed, but now I want to read it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    J.Schuh
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show blends indie author journeys with literary analysis in a way that's both entertaining and informative.
Listeners appreciate the thoughtful, deep dives into books and the chemistry between hosts.
Guests often bring practical insights for aspiring writers and indie authors.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Indie Author Interview - AudraKate - Horror Author
Q: How do you hold the tension of being a Christian writing horror, especially possession?
She grew up enjoying scary stories despite hearing criticism of horror in church. She sees horror as a way to portray light overcoming darkness and to introduce faith and hope through story, without making the books preachy.
Indie Author Interview - AudraKate - Horror Author
Q: What would your advice be to people who have a manuscript ready and are about ready to show to the world, want to do querying, and what is querying?
She advises writers to build an authentic reader platform, prepare a professionally edited manuscript and complete query package, research agents' manuscript wish lists, and use Query Tracker to find agents. Writers considering indie presses should follow them and watch for submission openings.
What to Know About Dungeon Crawler Carl
Q: How has Dinniman kept you engaged for eight books?
Jonathan credits reader feedback on early chapters, evolving storylines, and the expanding conflict around the intergalactic game show with keeping the series fresh.
What to Know About Dungeon Crawler Carl
Q: What was your expectation going into book one, and what did you get?
Slava went in knowing little beyond the dystopian premise. He found the first book entertaining and funny, gave it an A, and especially liked Princess Donut, though he was not yet on the series' hype train.
Pet Sematary Part 4 - Stephen King - Horror Book - Supernatural Horror
Q: What is it about hidden knowledge that drives us?
The speakers connect the appeal of hidden knowledge to the desire for control and easy answers, while Jonathan suggests that people sense there is more to life but resist the difficult change that seeking it can demand.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Side Quest Book Club Podcast

What is The Side Quest Book Club Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on deep-dive literary conversations that go beyond simple reviews. Across episodes, the hosts and guests discuss indie authors' publishing journeys, the craft of storytelling, and the ways trauma, resilience, and real-world experiences shape fiction—from YA fantasies to classic Russian and English literature. Listeners can expect thoughtful analyses, practical writing advice, and lively debates about character ethics, narrative structure, and the cultural impact of books—often framed through ambitious side-quests that illuminate why storytelling matters. A few standout angles include blending personal experience with fiction, exploring space and science themes in storytelling, and treating literature as a lens for contempo... more

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How many subscribers and views does The Side Quest Book Club Podcast have?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Side Quest Book Club Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Side Quest Book Club Podcast:

1. Don't call it a book club.
2. The Rest Is History
3. The Shane Dawson Podcast

How many episodes of The Side Quest Book Club Podcast are there?

The Side Quest Book Club Podcast launched 4 years ago and published 197 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Side Quest Book Club Podcast?

Recent guests on The Side Quest Book Club Podcast include:

1. Audra Kate Gonzalez
2. Jules Mourne
3. Rob Mortell
4. Keon Shore
5. Marc Avery
6. Evan Kidwell
7. Mark Benson
8. Debbie Show

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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