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, roughneck freelancer Roman Matthews becomes unwittingly trapped at the center of a harrowing conspiracy. Hunted by Deorum’s government, the Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must use his deadly skillset to survive against all odds.

Roman and his band of unlikely allies will discover that the Coalition’s indiscretions threaten the delicate balance of advanced civilization. As a sect of the Coalition prepares to implement its Machiavellian vision of utopia, the proverbial pendulum begins to swing toward chaos

Vitalerium World:
Website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/
Nick’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/InsideVitalerium 
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkGe5mgjNnAl2VJ3E5TBmAg 
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vitaleriumseries 
Twitter: https://x.com/vitalerium 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vitaleriumseries 

-Publicist - Eve Bailey / Flo Agency: https://flo.agency/  
-Cosplayer 1 Shanice Foster: Luxsteez Cosplay - https://www.instagram.com/luxsteezcosplay/ 
-Cosplayer 2 Matthew Harden: MH Cosplay Design - https://www.instagram.com/mhcosplaydesign/ 
-Comic Illustrator - Francisco A. Hnilo: https://www.behance.net/fahilustracion 
-Comic Colorist - Chandran Ponnusamy: https://www.facebook.com/ponnusamychandran & https://www.deviantart.com/ponnusamychandran/gallery 
-Graphic Designer - Ahmed Geatar: https://www.behance.net/ahmedgad 

ABOUT THE SIDE QUEST BOOK CLUB PODCAST 
Reading is the ultimate side quest.

Side Quest is a casual book club podcast full of literary adventures. Join Slava and Jonathan as they discuss the books they are reading, life, history, belief systems, and much more. Explore world-building, characters, and story development—and share some laughs along the way.

New episodes drop every TUES.

 LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION 
This is a video version of our audio podcast. Want to listen on the go?
Find *Side Quest Book Club* on your favorite podcast app.

🎧 **Subscribe on Any Platform https://linktr.ee/asidequest 

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

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 Roses.'
10:10 The Role of the Scapegoat in Families
17:47 Understanding Intergenerational Trauma
26:07 The Impact of Debbie's Sister's Actions
39:06 The Nature vs. Nurture Debate
41:45 Writing Advice for Aspiring Authors

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 
Threads:

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

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, roughneck freelancer Roman Matthews becomes unwittingly trapped at the center of a harrowing conspiracy. Hunted by Deorum’s government, the Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must use his deadly skillset to survive against all odds.

Roman and his band of unlikely allies will discover that the Coalition’s indiscretions threaten the delicate balance of advanced civilization. As a sect of the Coalition prepares to implement its Machiavellian vision of utopia, the proverbial pendulum begins to swing toward chaos

Vitalerium World:
Website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/
Nick’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/InsideVitalerium 
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkGe5mgjNnAl2VJ3E5TBmAg 
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vitaleriumseries 
Twitter: https://x.com/vitalerium 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vitaleriumseries 

-Publicist - Eve Bailey / Flo Agency: https://flo.agency/  
-Cosplayer 1 Shanice Foster: Luxsteez Cosplay - https://www.instagram.com/luxsteezcosplay/ 
-Cosplayer 2 Matthew Harden: MH Cosplay Design - https://www.instagram.com/mhcosplaydesign/ 
-Comic Illustrator - Francisco A. Hnilo: https://www.behance.net/fahilustracion 
-Comic Colorist - Chandran Ponnusamy: https://www.facebook.com/ponnusamychandran & https://www.deviantart.com/ponnusamychandran/gallery 
-Graphic Designer - Ahmed Geatar: https://www.behance.net/ahmedgad 

ABOUT THE SIDE QUEST BOOK CLUB PODCAST 
Reading is the ultimate side quest.

Side Quest is a casual book club podcast full of literary adventures. Join Slava and Jonathan as they discuss the books they are reading, life, history, belief systems, and much more. Explore world-building, characters, and story development—and share some laughs along the way.

New episodes drop every TUES.

 LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION 
This is a video version of our audio podcast. Want to listen on the go?
Find *Side Quest Book Club* on your favorite podcast app.

🎧 **Subscribe on Any Platform https://linktr.ee/asidequest 

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

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 2701.

Following a near-fatal disaster, roughneck freelancer Roman Matthews becomes unwittingly trapped at the center of a harrowing conspiracy. Hunted by Deorum’s government, the Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must use his deadly skillset to survive against all odds.

Roman and his band of unlikely allies will discover that the Coalition’s indiscretions threaten the delicate balance of advanced civilization. As a sect of the Coalition prepares to implement its Machiavellian vision of utopia, the proverbial pendulum begins to swing toward chaos

Vitalerium World:
Website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/
Nick’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/InsideVitalerium 
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkGe5mgjNnAl2VJ3E5TBmAg 
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vitaleriumseries 
Twitter: https://x.com/vitalerium 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vitaleriumseries 

-Publicist - Eve Bailey / Flo Agency: https://flo.agency/  
-Cosplayer 1 Shanice Foster: Luxsteez Cosplay - https://www.instagram.com/luxsteezcosplay/ 
-Cosplayer 2 Matthew Harden: MH Cosplay Design - https://www.instagram.com/mhcosplaydesign/ 
-Comic Illustrator - Francisco A. Hnilo: https://www.behance.net/fahilustracion 
-Comic Colorist - Chandran Ponnusamy: https://www.facebook.com/ponnusamychandran & https://www.deviantart.com/ponnusamychandran/gallery 
-Graphic Designer - Ahmed Geatar: https://www.behance.net/ahmedgad 

ABOUT THE SIDE QUEST BOOK CLUB PODCAST 
Reading is the ultimate side quest.

Side Quest is a casual book club podcast full of literary adventures. Join Slava and Jonathan as they discuss the books they are reading, life, history, belief systems, and much more. Explore world-building, characters, and story development—and share some laughs along the way.

New episodes drop every TUES.

 LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION 
This is a video version of our audio podcast. Want to listen on the go?
Find *Side Quest Book Club* on your favorite podcast app.

🎧 **Subscribe on Any Platform https://linktr.ee/asidequest 

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

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 as a ranch kid in New Mexico, she writes stories, songs, films, and audio dramas that capture wide-open spaces, grit, and persistence. 1232, her audio epic, is a behemoth project that launched her into the world of audio drama. Her recent signing with Twenty Hills Publishing will bring her speculative fiction to a bookstore near you.

00:00 Introduction to Callie and Her Journey
10:01 Life Experiences and Side Quests
19:51 The Inspiration Behind 'She Has Glass Eyes'
29:56 Exploring the Euphonia Machine and Its Historical Context
39:55 Writing Process and Overcoming Fear
55:25 The Writer's Journey: Carving Out Time
59:22 The Struggle of Christian Art
01:09:30 Authenticity in Storytelling
01:18:30 Introducing 1232: A Time Travel Fantasy
01:40:40 Supporting Creative Projects

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

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-epic.com/ & https://1232audioepic.bandcamp.com/album/season-one-1232
Fundraising link:  https://audio-epic.com/1232-faq#
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@calliesioux

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

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 at the center of a harrowing conspiracy. Hunted by Deorum’s government, the Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must use his deadly skillset to survive against all odds.

Roman and his band of unlikely allies will discover that the Coalition’s indiscretions threaten the delicate balance of advanced civilization. As a sect of the Coalition prepares to implement its Machiavellian vision of utopia, the proverbial pendulum begins to swing toward chaos

Vitalerium World:
Website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/
Nick’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/InsideVitalerium 
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkGe5mgjNnAl2VJ3E5TBmAg 
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vitaleriumseries 
Twitter: https://x.com/vitalerium 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vitaleriumseries 

-Publicist - Eve Bailey / Flo Agency: https://flo.agency/  
-Cosplayer 1 Shanice Foster: Luxsteez Cosplay - https://www.instagram.com/luxsteezcosplay/ 
-Cosplayer 2 Matthew Harden: MH Cosplay Design - https://www.instagram.com/mhcosplaydesign/ 
-Comic Illustrator - Francisco A. Hnilo: https://www.behance.net/fahilustracion 
-Comic Colorist - Chandran Ponnusamy: https://www.facebook.com/ponnusamychandran & https://www.deviantart.com/ponnusamychandran/gallery 
-Graphic Designer - Ahmed Geatar: https://www.behance.net/ahmedgad 

ABOUT THE SIDE QUEST BOOK CLUB PODCAST 
Reading is the ultimate side quest.

Side Quest is a casual book club podcast full of literary adventures. Join Slava and Jonathan as they discuss the books they are reading, life, history, belief systems, and much more. Explore world-building, characters, and story development—and share some laughs along the way.

New episodes drop every TUES.

 LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION 
This is a video version of our audio podcast. Want to listen on the go?
Find *Side Quest Book Club* on your favorite podcast app.

🎧 **Subscribe on Any Platform https://linktr.ee/asidequest 

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

CREDITS 
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava 
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
  - Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/u/CharacterNorth6081/s/k3mFE9aGqh  
  - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parasss.__

It's been three years of side quests and books. We are grateful for the journey and most of all our fellow Adventures. THANK YOU for all your support. To celebrate our three-year anniversary, we sat down with Nicholas Keating Casbarro, creator of the Vitalerium world.

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 at the center of a harrowing conspiracy. Hunted by Deorum’s government, the Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must use his deadly skillset to survive against all odds.

Roman and his band of unlikely allies will discover that the Coalition’s indiscretions threaten the delicate balance of advanced civilization. As a sect of the Coalition prepares to implement its Machiavellian vision of utopia, the proverbial pendulum begins to swing toward chaos

Vitalerium World:
Website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/
Nick’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/InsideVitalerium 
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkGe5mgjNnAl2VJ3E5TBmAg 
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vitaleriumseries 
Twitter: https://x.com/vitalerium 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vitaleriumseries 

-Publicist - Eve Bailey / Flo Agency: https://flo.agency/  
-Cosplayer 1 Shanice Foster: Luxsteez Cosplay - https://www.instagram.com/luxsteezcosplay/ 
-Cosplayer 2 Matthew Harden: MH Cosplay Design - https://www.instagram.com/mhcosplaydesign/ 
-Comic Illustrator - Francisco A. Hnilo: https://www.behance.net/fahilustracion 
-Comic Colorist - Chandran Ponnusamy: https://www.facebook.com/ponnusamychandran & https://www.deviantart.com/ponnusamychandran/gallery 
-Graphic Designer - Ahmed Geatar: https://www.behance.net/ahmedgad 

ABOUT THE SIDE QUEST BOOK CLUB PODCAST 
Reading is the ultimate side quest.

Side Quest is a casual book club podcast full of literary adventures. Join Slava and Jonathan as they discuss the books they are reading, life, history, belief systems, and much more. Explore world-building, characters, and story development—and share some laughs along the way.

New episodes drop every TUES.

 LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION 
This is a video version of our audio podcast. Want to listen on the go?
Find *Side Quest Book Club* on your favorite podcast app.

🎧 **Subscribe on Any Platform https://linktr.ee/asidequest 

JOIN THE GUILD 
🌐 Official Website / Quest Log:
https://www.thesidequestpodcast.com/ 

💬 Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesidequestpodcast 
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sidequestpodcast 

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 revelations. Is this dark academia masterpiece a 7/10 triumph or a pacing misfire? We debate character arcs, logic paradoxes, and that wild revenge twist.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to the Book and Author
14:46 Exploring the Ending and Character Dynamics
31:08 Character Analysis: Understanding Peter's Role
43:39 Comparative Analysis: Dante's Inferno vs. Modern Hell
48:06 Cultural References and Mythological Connections
57:52 Exploring Recurring Dreams and Nightmares

Discover Side Quest: https://linktr.ee/asidequest
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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our TikTok Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Music by HoliznaCC0v

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, and that wild revenge twist.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Epic Plot Summary Full Spoilers!
06:04 – Descent Begins: Chapters 1-6
31:41 – Chapters 7-11: Desire, Trauma & Lethe River
44:55 – Chapters 12-18: Greed, Wrath & Betrayal
58:05 – Chapters 20-35: Peter’s Sacrifice, City of Dis & Final Showdown

Discover Side Quest: https://linktr.ee/asidequest
Powered by Transistor
Our IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Leave us a comment & connect with us on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our TikTok Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Music by HoliznaCC0v