An Evening with Rien (Catharinus) van den Berg — Exploring the World of Aslander

Introduction

In 2012, Aslander was published — the debut novel by Rien (Catharinus) van den Berg about the pastor-detective Aslander, originally released as a promotional title for Christian bookstores. The sequel, Aslander: The Last Face, followed in 2013. This latest installment, Thera’s Legacy, brings Aslander back in a story that is clearly more mature and complex in both theme and tone: darker, more philosophical, and more suspenseful.

About the New Book

Thera’s Legacy revolves around an old bronze crucifix that plays a key role in a disappearance and the secrets that gradually come to light. The plot weaves together police investigation with moral and theological questions — what does it mean to seek justice in a broken world, and how do faith and justice relate when personal and historical traumas are involved?

Van den Berg combines a classic detective structure with in-depth character studies. The reader not only seeks to discover who might have done it, but is also invited to reflect on guilt, forgiveness, and the influence of the past on the present.

What to Expect During the Evening

• Talk: the origin story of Aslander and the development of the series.
• The bronze crucifix: the real-life object and its significance.
• Archetypes and characters: how the four main characters correspond to classical philosophical archetypes.
• Audience questions about the plot, sources, and the writing process.
• Book signing and informal conversation over a drink.

Why This Is Relevant

For fans of literary thrillers, theological novels, and character-driven detective stories, this evening offers multiple points of interest: historical-ritual objects as plot drivers, the tension between faith and practice, and an author who speaks openly about the struggles and discoveries encountered during the writing process.