The Way of Lucherium

Rachel Watkins reviews a new Catholic fantasy novel for teens and adults, written by graduate student Christopher J. Rziha.

The Way of Lucherium

By Christopher Rziha

Published by En Route Books & Media

Catholic novels arrived on the scene in the early 1900s with one early entry G.K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday (1908). Another early entry is Lord of the World by Fr. Robert Hugh Benson in 1907. What makes these early entries unusual is that they are non-traditional novels. Chesterton’s is often described as a thriller, while Benson’s is one of the first dystopian novels ever written.

Since those early days we have the books of Evelyn Waugh, JRR Tolkien, Sigrid Undset, and Flannery O’Connor — not to mention authors writing nonfiction for Catholics. New authors and new titles in both fiction and non-fiction continue to appear.

A New Voice in Catholic Fantasy Fiction

I recently read a new entry into fantasy Catholic fiction, which is a genre with limited titles. The Way of Lucherium is written by Christopher J. Rziha. Currently working on his Ph.D at the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Rziha is a well-educated scholar and award winning essayist. He has a keen interest in the literature and mysticism of the Spanish Baroque, some of which can be seen in this novel. He has crafted a fantasy allegory woven with imagery that directly reflects the Mass, Catholic culture and Catholic persecution.

Welcome to the world of Trastaluche. You will meet a bard, Geoffrey, whose hope for recognition and advancement within the oppressive government comes under scrutiny as he meets the citizens who follow the Way of Lucherium. You will walk with him as he strives to find the truth of the Way having only known the lies of the government. His own participation with the actions of the government causes both interior and exterior conflict well drawn out.

An engaging book, I happily passed it along to my young adult children and oldest teenager. The author is very descriptive in scenes both full of hope and those full of sadness, so I would hesitate to give it to a child younger than 12 or so without pre-reading. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers; parents know their children best, and Mr. Riga has a way with descriptive words.

His book was enjoyable as I am already a fan of fantasy literature and the new worlds good authors can create. While I would have liked more world building, you are given more than enough to work with that you can feel the suspense coming within secret conversations and conversions, hidden celebrations taking place in the ruins despite the real threat of arrest and torture.

If you are a fan of fantasy, or enjoy finding Catholic mysticism and miracles in unlikely places, consider checking out Christopher Rziha’s award-winning novel. The Way of Lucherium can be found on his website, ChristopherJRziha.com, as well as at Amazon. Should you want more information before deciding, you can find interviews with the author as well as other reviews of this book online. It is exciting to find new Catholic authors who make their faith so clearly a part of their art. The ending of the book certainly opened the door to more stories from Trastaluche, which I would welcome.

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Copyright 2026 Rachel Watkins
Images: Canva