What do you think?
Rate this book
Lord of the Mysteries #1
Lord of the Mysteries Volume 1
With the rising tide of steam power and machinery, who can come close to being a Beyonder? Shrouded in the fog of history and darkness, who or what is the lurking evil that murmurs into our ears?
Waking up to be faced with a string of mysteries, Zhou Mingrui finds himself reincarnated as Klein Moretti in an alternate Victorian era world where he sees a world filled with machinery, cannons, dreadnoughts, airships, difference machines, as well as Potions, Divination, Hexes, Tarot Cards, Sealed Artifacts…
The Light continues to shine but mystery has never gone far. Follow Klein as he finds himself entangled with the Churches of the world—both orthodox and unorthodox—while he slowly develops newfound powers thanks to the Beyonder potions.
Like the corresponding tarot card, The Fool, which is numbered 0—a number of unlimited potential—this is the legend of "The Fool."
Waking up to be faced with a string of mysteries, Zhou Mingrui finds himself reincarnated as Klein Moretti in an alternate Victorian era world where he sees a world filled with machinery, cannons, dreadnoughts, airships, difference machines, as well as Potions, Divination, Hexes, Tarot Cards, Sealed Artifacts…
The Light continues to shine but mystery has never gone far. Follow Klein as he finds himself entangled with the Churches of the world—both orthodox and unorthodox—while he slowly develops newfound powers thanks to the Beyonder potions.
Like the corresponding tarot card, The Fool, which is numbered 0—a number of unlimited potential—this is the legend of "The Fool."
1165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 19, 2021
1200 people are currently reading
6940 people want to read
About the author
Ai Qianshui de Wuzei
264 books174 followersAssociated Names:
* 爱潜水的乌贼 (Simplified Chinese) / 愛潛水的烏賊 (Traditional Chinese)
* Ai Qianshui de Wuzei / Cuttlefish That Loves Diving (English)
* อ้ายเชียนสุ่ยเตออูเจ๋ย (Thai)
* 爱潜水的乌贼 (Simplified Chinese) / 愛潛水的烏賊 (Traditional Chinese)
* Ai Qianshui de Wuzei / Cuttlefish That Loves Diving (English)
* อ้ายเชียนสุ่ยเตออูเจ๋ย (Thai)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
December 28, 2023
a budgeting icon who goes from feeding his family with 1/2 slice of bread to beef stews everyday while roleplaying as god as a side gig
February 8, 2023
[Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]
Jan 20, 2023 - Feb 5, 2023
Volume 1: CLOWN
Chapters 1-213
Possible spoilers ahead, be warned....
My emotions are still raw right now after finishing the first volume of this book. This volume is a re-read for me but I didn't expect that I would still cry despite knowing what happens at the end.
This web series is an absolute gem for me that I happened to discover in the mid part of 2022. I started it and loving it so much but for some personal reason, I have to stop reading it and now, I don't know where in the story I stopped. I just know that I was only about 40%-ish of the way through, with the series having a total of 8 volumes with 1,430 chapter. That's right. That's how long it is. But I'm more than willing to give my time on this, otherwise, I wouldn't start reading this long ass series all over again.
This is just the first arc of the story but A LOT has happened. The pace is on the slower side but a great world building takes time. The author established the magic system of this world in a detailed way and maybe you might think there's so much information at once, but on the otherhand, he doesn't reveal too much of it at the same time. He left so much questions to ponder about. So much information that you wouldn't think existed until he slowly introduces it. And he does it after leaving small crumbs of hints that you thought were just insignificant details. He's done a lot of things purposefully, and it's to build an even bigger world for the future arcs of this series.
The main protagonist, Zhou Mingrui, was mysteriously transmigrated into this world completely different from his own. Klein Moretti was supposed to die but Zhou Mingrui's transmigration saved him, and now he was forced to live the life of Klein Moretti, the owner of the body he inhabited. Now as Klein Moretti, he has to discover the secret and mysteries of this world and his true purpose for transmigrating. That is his only means if he wants to learn ways to come back to his own world. But clearly, it's not an easy task and he has to put his own life in danger multiple times to achieve it.
ZHOU MINGRUI
KLEIN MORETTI
Honestly, Klein Moretti might be one of my most favorite fictional characters ever. I just loved every part of him. He's polite and gentlemanly but not in a pretentious way. He's mature, clear-headed and rational. He's a cautious guy and he rarely gets impulsive (one of the rare moments I saw him out of control is when he fired 'someone' five times when he saw a 'colleague' died in a mission for the first time) but he's usually a kind of guy who think things very thoroughly before acting. But he's also not indecisive. His mind automatically listed the pros and cons of the things he has encountered so he can make a decision easily and with conviction. He also has a good-natured personality. He will not hesitate to do what is right even at personal cost, but he wouldn't do it heroically. If he can help, he will, but he's not arrogant enough to help everyone. He never overestimate his own abilites. Even after having new skills as a Sequence 9 Beyonder, he knows that he's just slightly stronger than an average person but in actuality, he's still just as weak as them compared to other Beyonders.
To him, it was simply a help he could provide if he happened to chance upon it. However, if he were to miss it, and the situation was not especially clear, there was no point taking it to heart and delaying his own matters.
But despite having a cautious personality, he also has this recklessness once in a while. I love how he has a perfect balance of cautiousness and recklessness. He's also clever but not in a genius way. His level of wit is absolutely higher than average people but not to the point that he would be consider as prodigy. That's why his character is not out of reach, if you know what I mean. He's such a realistic character and it's so easy to relate to him. Also, I'm in love with Klein's humour. In the dangerous world he was now forced to live in, he still find ways to stay positive. He also has this strong ability to uphold to his own principles, which up until the part where I stopped reading in the series, he maintained that part of him.
We are like puppets dancing on a string. What's even scarier is that we thought so highly of ourselves...
Expect that the coincidences in this story aren't simply coincidences. Having a mysterious figure manipulates the fate, albeit being restricted as well, is just a scary thought, especially when you are in the center of it all. He just saw himself as a small fry in this massive, mysterious and dangerous world. But unbeknownst to him and even to the 'mastermind', he's much more than just a cannon fodder to a much greater cause.
To fight against the abyss, we have to endure the corruption of the abyss...
We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness
After witnessing the first death of someone he was close to, I think that was when Klein completely realized that someday, he might be the one in their position, and each and every death of someone close to him left a serious blow on him. 'He felt he would never forget this feeling for as long as he lived, even if he were to return to his world.' But those deaths make him more determined to be stronger, his resolve more intense. Maybe that's why he is firm on his cautiousness.
Aside from Klein, there are also a bunch of characters, allies or enemies alike, that might or might not appear again in the next arcs. But most of them, especially the people who have significant roles in the story has a great depth into their characters. I'm glad to know that the enemies are real threats to Klein and his allies. And they're much powerful than Klein, at least for now. They are not called 'villains' just for show. Even the cannon fodders shouldn't be treated lightly. And this format of the story made me more excited. I was thrilled to see Klein's growth from being a weak Seer to a much more powerful Beyonder.
The last part of this volume is still as heartbreaking as I remember when I first read this. Maybe even more. The life he had lived, his 'siblings' that he treated as his own family, the friends he had made, he has to leave all of it in that small town of Tingen. The emptiness that Klein is feeling at the end is the same emptiness he felt when he first arrived in this world. He was once again alone, and that made me feel so sad. Aside from some character death, which was a given, one of the most emotional parts of this volume is when he was following his siblings and desperately wants to show himself to them, but he wouldn't dare since he knows that his 'fake death' is for their own good. He can see how his 'death' affected them so much and it also hurts him, but he has nothing else he could do but endure.
The clown brought the flower before Melissa and Benson. the flower was golden in color and symbolized happiness.
Melissa and Benson looked at the clown in a daze. All they saw was a wide smile plastered over the paster face. It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile
His last attempt to cheer his siblings up and also his last farewell. This part was actually so painful that I am still crying while writing this review. As a Beyonder, in order to not lose control and become a monster, they have to digest their potion properly by 'acting' their respective sequence, just like how Klein got a side job as a seer in a divination club. He advanced from Sequence 9 Seer to Sequence 8 Clown, but I don't want to see Klein 'digesting' his Clown potion this way. This sequence is particularly cruel for Klein, because he has to act like a clown, entertaining other people despite what he's really feeling deep inside. That 'hiding his pain behind his smile' is what broke me completely.
Next volume would be Klein's journey alone in Backlund. How he will completely digest the Clown potion and how he would make himself stronger. Also looking forward on how his secret organization would grow, both in number of members and in strength. If I'm not mistaken, the next volume is also a re-read for me, but I'm still excited to dive into it.
PS. I remember that each arc, Klein has to disguise and use different personas. It's just so fun to include his appeance in my reviews with each of his persona.
[ 2019-2020 READING SPREADSHEETS ]
[ NEW READING SPREADSHEETS ]
Jan 20, 2023 - Feb 5, 2023
Volume 1: CLOWN
Chapters 1-213
Possible spoilers ahead, be warned....
My emotions are still raw right now after finishing the first volume of this book. This volume is a re-read for me but I didn't expect that I would still cry despite knowing what happens at the end.
This web series is an absolute gem for me that I happened to discover in the mid part of 2022. I started it and loving it so much but for some personal reason, I have to stop reading it and now, I don't know where in the story I stopped. I just know that I was only about 40%-ish of the way through, with the series having a total of 8 volumes with 1,430 chapter. That's right. That's how long it is. But I'm more than willing to give my time on this, otherwise, I wouldn't start reading this long ass series all over again.
This is just the first arc of the story but A LOT has happened. The pace is on the slower side but a great world building takes time. The author established the magic system of this world in a detailed way and maybe you might think there's so much information at once, but on the otherhand, he doesn't reveal too much of it at the same time. He left so much questions to ponder about. So much information that you wouldn't think existed until he slowly introduces it. And he does it after leaving small crumbs of hints that you thought were just insignificant details. He's done a lot of things purposefully, and it's to build an even bigger world for the future arcs of this series.
The main protagonist, Zhou Mingrui, was mysteriously transmigrated into this world completely different from his own. Klein Moretti was supposed to die but Zhou Mingrui's transmigration saved him, and now he was forced to live the life of Klein Moretti, the owner of the body he inhabited. Now as Klein Moretti, he has to discover the secret and mysteries of this world and his true purpose for transmigrating. That is his only means if he wants to learn ways to come back to his own world. But clearly, it's not an easy task and he has to put his own life in danger multiple times to achieve it.
ZHOU MINGRUI
KLEIN MORETTI
Honestly, Klein Moretti might be one of my most favorite fictional characters ever. I just loved every part of him. He's polite and gentlemanly but not in a pretentious way. He's mature, clear-headed and rational. He's a cautious guy and he rarely gets impulsive (one of the rare moments I saw him out of control is when he fired 'someone' five times when he saw a 'colleague' died in a mission for the first time) but he's usually a kind of guy who think things very thoroughly before acting. But he's also not indecisive. His mind automatically listed the pros and cons of the things he has encountered so he can make a decision easily and with conviction. He also has a good-natured personality. He will not hesitate to do what is right even at personal cost, but he wouldn't do it heroically. If he can help, he will, but he's not arrogant enough to help everyone. He never overestimate his own abilites. Even after having new skills as a Sequence 9 Beyonder, he knows that he's just slightly stronger than an average person but in actuality, he's still just as weak as them compared to other Beyonders.
To him, it was simply a help he could provide if he happened to chance upon it. However, if he were to miss it, and the situation was not especially clear, there was no point taking it to heart and delaying his own matters.
But despite having a cautious personality, he also has this recklessness once in a while. I love how he has a perfect balance of cautiousness and recklessness. He's also clever but not in a genius way. His level of wit is absolutely higher than average people but not to the point that he would be consider as prodigy. That's why his character is not out of reach, if you know what I mean. He's such a realistic character and it's so easy to relate to him. Also, I'm in love with Klein's humour. In the dangerous world he was now forced to live in, he still find ways to stay positive. He also has this strong ability to uphold to his own principles, which up until the part where I stopped reading in the series, he maintained that part of him.
We are like puppets dancing on a string. What's even scarier is that we thought so highly of ourselves...
Expect that the coincidences in this story aren't simply coincidences. Having a mysterious figure manipulates the fate, albeit being restricted as well, is just a scary thought, especially when you are in the center of it all. He just saw himself as a small fry in this massive, mysterious and dangerous world. But unbeknownst to him and even to the 'mastermind', he's much more than just a cannon fodder to a much greater cause.
To fight against the abyss, we have to endure the corruption of the abyss...
We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness
After witnessing the first death of someone he was close to, I think that was when Klein completely realized that someday, he might be the one in their position, and each and every death of someone close to him left a serious blow on him. 'He felt he would never forget this feeling for as long as he lived, even if he were to return to his world.' But those deaths make him more determined to be stronger, his resolve more intense. Maybe that's why he is firm on his cautiousness.
Aside from Klein, there are also a bunch of characters, allies or enemies alike, that might or might not appear again in the next arcs. But most of them, especially the people who have significant roles in the story has a great depth into their characters. I'm glad to know that the enemies are real threats to Klein and his allies. And they're much powerful than Klein, at least for now. They are not called 'villains' just for show. Even the cannon fodders shouldn't be treated lightly. And this format of the story made me more excited. I was thrilled to see Klein's growth from being a weak Seer to a much more powerful Beyonder.
The last part of this volume is still as heartbreaking as I remember when I first read this. Maybe even more. The life he had lived, his 'siblings' that he treated as his own family, the friends he had made, he has to leave all of it in that small town of Tingen. The emptiness that Klein is feeling at the end is the same emptiness he felt when he first arrived in this world. He was once again alone, and that made me feel so sad. Aside from some character death, which was a given, one of the most emotional parts of this volume is when he was following his siblings and desperately wants to show himself to them, but he wouldn't dare since he knows that his 'fake death' is for their own good. He can see how his 'death' affected them so much and it also hurts him, but he has nothing else he could do but endure.
The clown brought the flower before Melissa and Benson. the flower was golden in color and symbolized happiness.
Melissa and Benson looked at the clown in a daze. All they saw was a wide smile plastered over the paster face. It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile
His last attempt to cheer his siblings up and also his last farewell. This part was actually so painful that I am still crying while writing this review. As a Beyonder, in order to not lose control and become a monster, they have to digest their potion properly by 'acting' their respective sequence, just like how Klein got a side job as a seer in a divination club. He advanced from Sequence 9 Seer to Sequence 8 Clown, but I don't want to see Klein 'digesting' his Clown potion this way. This sequence is particularly cruel for Klein, because he has to act like a clown, entertaining other people despite what he's really feeling deep inside. That 'hiding his pain behind his smile' is what broke me completely.
Next volume would be Klein's journey alone in Backlund. How he will completely digest the Clown potion and how he would make himself stronger. Also looking forward on how his secret organization would grow, both in number of members and in strength. If I'm not mistaken, the next volume is also a re-read for me, but I'm still excited to dive into it.
PS. I remember that each arc, Klein has to disguise and use different personas. It's just so fun to include his appeance in my reviews with each of his persona.
[ 2019-2020 READING SPREADSHEETS ]
[ NEW READING SPREADSHEETS ]
September 9, 2025
Lord of Mysteries Volume 1 The Clown
5⭐+❤️
Lord of Mysteries Volume 1 is undoubtedly one of the best reads I've ever read.
The Clown is the title of the first volume of the Lord of Mysteries webnovel, which spans from chapter 1 to 213 and is the beginning of a sensational work, my friends. This first volume serves as a great introduction to this gigantic story while also introducing you to great things throughout. In this first volume, we introduce the protagonist Zhou Mingrui, who is reincarnated in a fantasy world set in the Victorian era and awakens in the body of Klein Moretti. We follow him as Klein from the beginning of the work. In the first chapters of the work, it's normal to be a little confused by the magic system and also by the Beyonders—characters with powers that we'll be introduced to later—but as this volume progresses, you'll begin to understand everything as the author explains and immerses the reader. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, the worldbuilding, and the magic system. I thought it was all very well done. The characters are the soul of this story, especially Klein's siblings, Benson and Melissa, who are the protagonist's safe haven and also create a peaceful atmosphere in the story whenever they appear. Another highlight is the Nighthawks, a group with which the protagonist interacts a lot throughout the story. Some highlights include Leonard, who interacts a lot with Klein and is quite entertaining; Captain Dunn, the leader of the Nighthawks and Klein's boss; and also Old Neil, who serves as a tutor to the protagonist and also always has something to teach throughout the story. Regarding the story, the author's entire construction of the Beyonders and the mysteries surrounding the city of Tingen was very well written, and when we get to the final chapters of the volume, things turn into something truly epic. The villain of this first volume is one of the most hateful in fantasy in general. Seriously, I don't think I've ever felt so much hatred for a villain as this author outdid himself in this one. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and the ending of the first volume left me devastated by the amount of content the author wrote that stirred my emotions. However, when I finished, I felt the journey was worth it, and I can't wait to continue reading this novel to discover what else epic the author has in store for readers. And if you've never read a web novel in your life, give this one a chance. I guarantee you'll have one of the best experiences of your life as a reader.
5⭐+❤️
Lord of Mysteries Volume 1 is undoubtedly one of the best reads I've ever read.
The Clown is the title of the first volume of the Lord of Mysteries webnovel, which spans from chapter 1 to 213 and is the beginning of a sensational work, my friends. This first volume serves as a great introduction to this gigantic story while also introducing you to great things throughout. In this first volume, we introduce the protagonist Zhou Mingrui, who is reincarnated in a fantasy world set in the Victorian era and awakens in the body of Klein Moretti. We follow him as Klein from the beginning of the work. In the first chapters of the work, it's normal to be a little confused by the magic system and also by the Beyonders—characters with powers that we'll be introduced to later—but as this volume progresses, you'll begin to understand everything as the author explains and immerses the reader. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, the worldbuilding, and the magic system. I thought it was all very well done. The characters are the soul of this story, especially Klein's siblings, Benson and Melissa, who are the protagonist's safe haven and also create a peaceful atmosphere in the story whenever they appear. Another highlight is the Nighthawks, a group with which the protagonist interacts a lot throughout the story. Some highlights include Leonard, who interacts a lot with Klein and is quite entertaining; Captain Dunn, the leader of the Nighthawks and Klein's boss; and also Old Neil, who serves as a tutor to the protagonist and also always has something to teach throughout the story. Regarding the story, the author's entire construction of the Beyonders and the mysteries surrounding the city of Tingen was very well written, and when we get to the final chapters of the volume, things turn into something truly epic. The villain of this first volume is one of the most hateful in fantasy in general. Seriously, I don't think I've ever felt so much hatred for a villain as this author outdid himself in this one. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and the ending of the first volume left me devastated by the amount of content the author wrote that stirred my emotions. However, when I finished, I felt the journey was worth it, and I can't wait to continue reading this novel to discover what else epic the author has in store for readers. And if you've never read a web novel in your life, give this one a chance. I guarantee you'll have one of the best experiences of your life as a reader.
February 19, 2023
“We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against dangers and madness.”
I have a lot of things to say in this review, which is understanding since I read this monstrosity of 1326 pages of a book and flew through it like it was nothing… unlike more than 70% of the novels I read last year.
Okay, now I’m going to go through my thoughts on this on chronological order.
I discovered this on Tiktok, where one account called it “The Greatest Web Novel and Isekai to ever be made” with the simple synopsis of: “transmigrating into a terrifying Victorian era world and convincing everyone you are a God”. It explained that the first book was finished and contained 3 million words around 8 volumes and 1430 chapters, and that it was supposed to be a trilogy and the second book would come out this March following a different main character but without losing sight of the others. Then, it explained how to read it (because since it is a chinese webnovel, it’s not the easiest thing to find a translation) and showed a bunch of quotes from the book. And I saw that, and well, I was pretty much completely sold. I felt like I was going to love this book, that this was my sh*t. So, after a few google searches to see how I could read it, I started doing so immediately after discovering it and well… I read the first 100 pages that very same night (all of this in finals season which makes it even more funny lmao).
Because of course, this is such a big thing (for reference, the whole Cosmere is around 5/6 millions words right now) but the style of webnovels is different, people said that the beginning was always going to be slow and filled with info dumps, but that it got better around the 60-80 chapter mark (here things are often reference by chapter, volume or arc, kinda like manga i guess). I, on the other hand, was sold from chapter 1 and found myself running through the pages, absolutely hooked up by the initial mystery we started with and seeing all of this new world. But to be fair, things were pretty slow, much of it was this slice of life of Klein (our MC) acting like a malewife and figuring out things in this new world he had been transported to.
I believe people didn’t like the starting arc much because of this, but also I feel those people in their majority are webnovel readers accustomed to have plot and action all the time, fightings and such from the beginning, as I’ve seen that more or less is the style or other popular chinese webnovels. I’m not a huge fan of battles, I don’t mind them though. But what drags me to a book is the interesting lore, worldbuilding, characters and plot. And this, for me, checked all the boxes.
The plot to me was pretty catchy, because as the title suggested, it is all about mysteries, so we have one after another. Firstly, Klein, the MC is trying to figure out the accident that led him to arrive to that world and through a series of events he ends up joining the Nighthawks, which are basically a military forced linked with one of the Big 3 Churches (as there are many different gods here, each with a particular faith) but aside from the police since it’s agents are all people with powers, or how we called them here: Beyonders. And so, Klein starts having to solve all these supernatural cases, as that’s the job of the Nighthawks around their home, Tingen City.
Oh, yeah, I forgot to see but I guess it’s kind of obvious since it’s a fantasy fiction, there’s supernatural forces and such. But the magic system is what intrigues me more since it was a concept I have never seen before but it’s pretty common on TRPGs, which is called Progression Fantasy. The best way I can define this it’s just by explaining how it works on LOTM. In this world, there used to be your typical mythical creatures like dragons, elves and such, they’re now all extinct. But, their remains are still there, and because these creatures were so powerful, even after death there’s still some spirituality (magic, basically) left on those. So, people take them as ingredients for potions, and when one drinks it, they become a Beyonder, with different abilities depending on the abilities. And the way you can become more powerful, it’s by drinking a higher rank potion. They rank from higher to lower as 1 to 9. However, if one is not ready to drink the potion and does it anyway, they will lose control as the power will be too much and they will become monsters known as Rampagers. Because of the ranking system of the potions, Beyonders are also classified by this.
And I think one of the things that make it so interesting and funny at times, is because of the whole transmigrating thing, which is what makes this an Isekai novel. For those who don’t know, cause I didn’t either know what it meant despite having seen it in some anime, it’s the type of thing you didn’t even know had a specific name for it because of how common of a trope it is. Explained for dummies, transmigrating it’s what happens when someone dies and you get reincarnated in a body in another world (commonly a fantasy one when you come from our normal Earth) but not as a baby, but a grown person who happened to die at the same time as you. So, in this case, our protagonist is a chinese guy that wakes up in the body of Klein Moretti, a recent history graduate that killed himself with a revolver and left a note on his journal saying “everyone will die, including me”. The OG Klein dies, yes, and that’s when our MC steps out and decides to pretend like nothing happened and act as Klein until he figures out why the OG died, why he himself transmigrated in the first place and what he could do to go back home on Earth.
The world we stepped in is this steampunk Victorian era one where the Industry Revolution happened around 200 years ago. However, in the particular kingdom we are, the aristocracy still has most of the power and influence and now the bourgeois are starting to threaten them in terms of money and reach. And since our character comes from a modern era, well, he certainly is lamenting he didn’t come to a more advanced world and trying to improve it from the shadows as much as possible.
This is when the Tarot Gatherings come in. For some reason we don’t know, Klein has access to a space of gray fog everytime he tries the ritual that triggered his transmigration back on Earth, and he can connect to some crimson stars, when he does so, he’s calling a certain person to that same space. This first attempt leads to the first Tarot Gathering, when two people are suddenly brought to this space (that exists outside the physical one), and believe the person who has brought them there, Klein, is a god. And so, Klein turns the space of the gray fog into a big palace and lets them believe that yes, he’s a powerful mysterious being that’s interested in the lost history of this world and calls himself The Fool. This leads to the other members picking up codenames of the Major Arcana and the foundation of the Tarot Club as a secret organization. And it’s just so funny, because Klein has all of this knowledge from the modern era that does seem godlike from the perspective of the other members… And it’s just so entertaining to see everytime Klein has to act like a god when he in fact is making up everything as he goes but somehow still gains the faith and respect of the others. Especially because, as it turns out, each member either has power, money or influence… which leads Klein to gain a lot from it as he’s technically the one who has less to offer. But he still manages thanks to certain things I will not get into, but yeah, he’s ironically the closest to the gods for real.
I would say without hesitation that the thing I love the most about this novel is that the world feels so big and alive. We have multiple NPCs we follow and see both with and without Klein. There’s little details that seem unimportant that at the end reveal the biggest secret of them all. There’s all these mysteries and questions about the past history of this world, or about the gods and legendary figures that exist that make it seem like what we know is merely the tip of the iceberg. It’s something that you have to be in for the ride, and I certainly am.
Now that I’ve more or less explained this as basic as possible to not give any huge spoilers, I’m going to leave here some of my random thoughts on the plot and lore because there’s SO
much to unpack:
-I thought
I think I’m still traumatized at that, I-
-I was devastated at
-I did NOT expect that That was a hella good plot twist. And what a good way to explain why Klein kept being at the right time in the right place all of the time, glad to know it wasn’t him having the MC syndrome or something. It really puts things into perspective that he was merely a pawn in someone’s game. Thank gods , that seems to be above everyone apparently. I mean,
-
-
In regards to the whole volume as a whole and part of a bigger thing, the author said the first half of the first volume is slow. And if that’s supposed to be slow, I don’t know how the rest of the volumes are gonna be to me.... And I get it, technically it was slow because it was all an introduction to the world and the plot didn’t necessarily move forward a lot (since our main mystery at the moment was what happened with the notebook and we barely knew anything until the second half or last quarter of the book) but damn, shit is catchy. I mean, I guess better for me lmao.
I don't think I can be super objective with this because I just love it too much. Everything was perfect, it was exactly what I was promised and more. I just had a great time and I'm already weeping about the fact that we have to say goodbye to some characters. I'm sure going to reread this next year or something to relive the whole thing again. That's how much I enjoyed it, because I never reread anything. I won’t run to the next volume merely because I don’t want the journey to end too soon.
That said, I do recognize there are 2 problems I could have with this book but I think they’re justifiable for the moment. Again, this is merely the first volume of a very long book.
1. The writing. It's not… the best. Like it’s not bad, at all. It’s just pretty simple and straight to the point, which is ironically one of the best things about it because it makes it read so fast and when we’re talking about a thing so long like this… you’re grateful for it. But still, I kinda expected a little better. However, it is a fan translation from chinese, so there’s that. And many people say that it gets better later, so I don’t mind it much. We’ll see if they're right. But because everything else is excellent to me, it's not the biggest issue I could have.
2. The plot armor. There’s so many things that happened that just were too favorable all the time for Klein. And to a certain point, I get it, since most of them can be traced back to the quill, so that makes sense. However, everything related to The Fool, seems a little too good to be true. Like… I don’t know, I don’t personally mind it, since Klein still has his (many) struggles, but because there’s still no reason behind all of those, I can’t help but be uncertain about how I should feel about it. I guess we will see, but I still enjoy seeing Klein getting away with things for just being so damn smart, really, I’m impressed he comes out with so many ideas lmao.
Overall, I loved this very much and if things keep being this way, this is for sure going to become one of my favorite series of all time. And even if not, I’m so glad I can dive into this huge thing that’s still not over and enjoy the journey. Really grateful that I found this hidden gem.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i’m devastated.
a full review will come later, i’m still processing this end. because what the fuck. that was one of the most fucked up things i’ve seen in my life (and i’ve been into horror analog for the past 2 months now). and not like “damn, that’s terrifying but also a really interesting concept” as the infected of the last of us. this was more like “this is so terrifying like it’s not fucking funny. fuck, i don’t want to see this but i can’t stop now, it’s too late to erase it from my memory”.
my core though at the moment is, in leonard’s own words: FUCK!
I have a lot of things to say in this review, which is understanding since I read this monstrosity of 1326 pages of a book and flew through it like it was nothing… unlike more than 70% of the novels I read last year.
Okay, now I’m going to go through my thoughts on this on chronological order.
I discovered this on Tiktok, where one account called it “The Greatest Web Novel and Isekai to ever be made” with the simple synopsis of: “transmigrating into a terrifying Victorian era world and convincing everyone you are a God”. It explained that the first book was finished and contained 3 million words around 8 volumes and 1430 chapters, and that it was supposed to be a trilogy and the second book would come out this March following a different main character but without losing sight of the others. Then, it explained how to read it (because since it is a chinese webnovel, it’s not the easiest thing to find a translation) and showed a bunch of quotes from the book. And I saw that, and well, I was pretty much completely sold. I felt like I was going to love this book, that this was my sh*t. So, after a few google searches to see how I could read it, I started doing so immediately after discovering it and well… I read the first 100 pages that very same night (all of this in finals season which makes it even more funny lmao).
Because of course, this is such a big thing (for reference, the whole Cosmere is around 5/6 millions words right now) but the style of webnovels is different, people said that the beginning was always going to be slow and filled with info dumps, but that it got better around the 60-80 chapter mark (here things are often reference by chapter, volume or arc, kinda like manga i guess). I, on the other hand, was sold from chapter 1 and found myself running through the pages, absolutely hooked up by the initial mystery we started with and seeing all of this new world. But to be fair, things were pretty slow, much of it was this slice of life of Klein (our MC) acting like a malewife and figuring out things in this new world he had been transported to.
I believe people didn’t like the starting arc much because of this, but also I feel those people in their majority are webnovel readers accustomed to have plot and action all the time, fightings and such from the beginning, as I’ve seen that more or less is the style or other popular chinese webnovels. I’m not a huge fan of battles, I don’t mind them though. But what drags me to a book is the interesting lore, worldbuilding, characters and plot. And this, for me, checked all the boxes.
The plot to me was pretty catchy, because as the title suggested, it is all about mysteries, so we have one after another. Firstly, Klein, the MC is trying to figure out the accident that led him to arrive to that world and through a series of events he ends up joining the Nighthawks, which are basically a military forced linked with one of the Big 3 Churches (as there are many different gods here, each with a particular faith) but aside from the police since it’s agents are all people with powers, or how we called them here: Beyonders. And so, Klein starts having to solve all these supernatural cases, as that’s the job of the Nighthawks around their home, Tingen City.
Oh, yeah, I forgot to see but I guess it’s kind of obvious since it’s a fantasy fiction, there’s supernatural forces and such. But the magic system is what intrigues me more since it was a concept I have never seen before but it’s pretty common on TRPGs, which is called Progression Fantasy. The best way I can define this it’s just by explaining how it works on LOTM. In this world, there used to be your typical mythical creatures like dragons, elves and such, they’re now all extinct. But, their remains are still there, and because these creatures were so powerful, even after death there’s still some spirituality (magic, basically) left on those. So, people take them as ingredients for potions, and when one drinks it, they become a Beyonder, with different abilities depending on the abilities. And the way you can become more powerful, it’s by drinking a higher rank potion. They rank from higher to lower as 1 to 9. However, if one is not ready to drink the potion and does it anyway, they will lose control as the power will be too much and they will become monsters known as Rampagers. Because of the ranking system of the potions, Beyonders are also classified by this.
And I think one of the things that make it so interesting and funny at times, is because of the whole transmigrating thing, which is what makes this an Isekai novel. For those who don’t know, cause I didn’t either know what it meant despite having seen it in some anime, it’s the type of thing you didn’t even know had a specific name for it because of how common of a trope it is. Explained for dummies, transmigrating it’s what happens when someone dies and you get reincarnated in a body in another world (commonly a fantasy one when you come from our normal Earth) but not as a baby, but a grown person who happened to die at the same time as you. So, in this case, our protagonist is a chinese guy that wakes up in the body of Klein Moretti, a recent history graduate that killed himself with a revolver and left a note on his journal saying “everyone will die, including me”. The OG Klein dies, yes, and that’s when our MC steps out and decides to pretend like nothing happened and act as Klein until he figures out why the OG died, why he himself transmigrated in the first place and what he could do to go back home on Earth.
The world we stepped in is this steampunk Victorian era one where the Industry Revolution happened around 200 years ago. However, in the particular kingdom we are, the aristocracy still has most of the power and influence and now the bourgeois are starting to threaten them in terms of money and reach. And since our character comes from a modern era, well, he certainly is lamenting he didn’t come to a more advanced world and trying to improve it from the shadows as much as possible.
This is when the Tarot Gatherings come in. For some reason we don’t know, Klein has access to a space of gray fog everytime he tries the ritual that triggered his transmigration back on Earth, and he can connect to some crimson stars, when he does so, he’s calling a certain person to that same space. This first attempt leads to the first Tarot Gathering, when two people are suddenly brought to this space (that exists outside the physical one), and believe the person who has brought them there, Klein, is a god. And so, Klein turns the space of the gray fog into a big palace and lets them believe that yes, he’s a powerful mysterious being that’s interested in the lost history of this world and calls himself The Fool. This leads to the other members picking up codenames of the Major Arcana and the foundation of the Tarot Club as a secret organization. And it’s just so funny, because Klein has all of this knowledge from the modern era that does seem godlike from the perspective of the other members… And it’s just so entertaining to see everytime Klein has to act like a god when he in fact is making up everything as he goes but somehow still gains the faith and respect of the others. Especially because, as it turns out, each member either has power, money or influence… which leads Klein to gain a lot from it as he’s technically the one who has less to offer. But he still manages thanks to certain things I will not get into, but yeah, he’s ironically the closest to the gods for real.
I would say without hesitation that the thing I love the most about this novel is that the world feels so big and alive. We have multiple NPCs we follow and see both with and without Klein. There’s little details that seem unimportant that at the end reveal the biggest secret of them all. There’s all these mysteries and questions about the past history of this world, or about the gods and legendary figures that exist that make it seem like what we know is merely the tip of the iceberg. It’s something that you have to be in for the ride, and I certainly am.
Now that I’ve more or less explained this as basic as possible to not give any huge spoilers, I’m going to leave here some of my random thoughts on the plot and lore because there’s SO
much to unpack:
-I thought
I think I’m still traumatized at that, I-
-I was devastated at
-I did NOT expect that That was a hella good plot twist. And what a good way to explain why Klein kept being at the right time in the right place all of the time, glad to know it wasn’t him having the MC syndrome or something. It really puts things into perspective that he was merely a pawn in someone’s game. Thank gods , that seems to be above everyone apparently. I mean,
-
-
In regards to the whole volume as a whole and part of a bigger thing, the author said the first half of the first volume is slow. And if that’s supposed to be slow, I don’t know how the rest of the volumes are gonna be to me.... And I get it, technically it was slow because it was all an introduction to the world and the plot didn’t necessarily move forward a lot (since our main mystery at the moment was what happened with the notebook and we barely knew anything until the second half or last quarter of the book) but damn, shit is catchy. I mean, I guess better for me lmao.
I don't think I can be super objective with this because I just love it too much. Everything was perfect, it was exactly what I was promised and more. I just had a great time and I'm already weeping about the fact that we have to say goodbye to some characters. I'm sure going to reread this next year or something to relive the whole thing again. That's how much I enjoyed it, because I never reread anything. I won’t run to the next volume merely because I don’t want the journey to end too soon.
That said, I do recognize there are 2 problems I could have with this book but I think they’re justifiable for the moment. Again, this is merely the first volume of a very long book.
1. The writing. It's not… the best. Like it’s not bad, at all. It’s just pretty simple and straight to the point, which is ironically one of the best things about it because it makes it read so fast and when we’re talking about a thing so long like this… you’re grateful for it. But still, I kinda expected a little better. However, it is a fan translation from chinese, so there’s that. And many people say that it gets better later, so I don’t mind it much. We’ll see if they're right. But because everything else is excellent to me, it's not the biggest issue I could have.
2. The plot armor. There’s so many things that happened that just were too favorable all the time for Klein. And to a certain point, I get it, since most of them can be traced back to the quill, so that makes sense. However, everything related to The Fool, seems a little too good to be true. Like… I don’t know, I don’t personally mind it, since Klein still has his (many) struggles, but because there’s still no reason behind all of those, I can’t help but be uncertain about how I should feel about it. I guess we will see, but I still enjoy seeing Klein getting away with things for just being so damn smart, really, I’m impressed he comes out with so many ideas lmao.
Overall, I loved this very much and if things keep being this way, this is for sure going to become one of my favorite series of all time. And even if not, I’m so glad I can dive into this huge thing that’s still not over and enjoy the journey. Really grateful that I found this hidden gem.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i’m devastated.
a full review will come later, i’m still processing this end. because what the fuck. that was one of the most fucked up things i’ve seen in my life (and i’ve been into horror analog for the past 2 months now). and not like “damn, that’s terrifying but also a really interesting concept” as the infected of the last of us. this was more like “this is so terrifying like it’s not fucking funny. fuck, i don’t want to see this but i can’t stop now, it’s too late to erase it from my memory”.
my core though at the moment is, in leonard’s own words: FUCK!
October 18, 2025
After doing yet another full re-read (not yet done, hoping to be before the donghua releases) I think it's only fair to give this a 5. Sure, it has it's flaws but ultimately? The 1400+ chapters were worth reading. Over and over again.
Will write a full on review when the official English edition releases
Will write a full on review when the official English edition releases
August 17, 2025
Absolutely phenomenal! The world-building, magic system, and characters are incredible. Zhou Mingrui, now Klein Moretti, is quickly becoming one of my favorite protagonists. His quick wit, careful scheming, sharp humor, and gentlemanly charm always keep him two steps ahead.
The story is such a perfect mix of humor, tension, and mystery. The Beyonder pathways are fascinating, the secret societies are intricate and intriguing, and watching Klein quickly adapt to this new world—learning its rules, navigating its dangers, and finding his place among its complex power structures—is an absolute thrill. This volume wraps up its arc beautifully while also setting the stage for an epic journey full of twists and mysteries. Time to binge the donghua!
And yes… “We saved Tingen” 😭 💔—heartbreaking and unforgettable.
The story is such a perfect mix of humor, tension, and mystery. The Beyonder pathways are fascinating, the secret societies are intricate and intriguing, and watching Klein quickly adapt to this new world—learning its rules, navigating its dangers, and finding his place among its complex power structures—is an absolute thrill. This volume wraps up its arc beautifully while also setting the stage for an epic journey full of twists and mysteries. Time to binge the donghua!
And yes… “We saved Tingen” 😭 💔—heartbreaking and unforgettable.
August 17, 2024
A little slow at first but definitely worth it! The world building is insane
July 8, 2025
i sobbed my way through the last 5 chapters rtc oh my god
January 25, 2025
“We are a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against danger and madness, but even more so, we are guardians.”
Having transmigrated to a mysterious world, Zhou Mingrui finds himself reincarnated as Klein Moretti, a history graduate. While Klein investigates the mysterious circumstances of his ‘death’, he gets involved in a world of Beyonders, potions, mysterious Sequence pathways and the like, and thus begins the legend of ‘The Fool’.
The volume starts off on a somewhat slow note. We are gradually introduced to the world set in an alternate Victorian era; Loen Kingdom. Awwa County, Tingen City, and other neighboring cities and kingdoms. The world building is good from the get go, the world actually feels real and you feel like you are a part of it.
The way the mysteries of the world are set up and gradually expanded upon, giving answers to old questions while new ones arise is something I really loved. The fact that pretty much all of the events so far had all been part of a plan by Ince Zangwill is a really cool approach the author took, easily connecting all the seemingly unrelated events.
Klein’s entire façade with being ‘The Fool’ is a really funny but amazing concept. Him playing the role of a mysterious god, making Audrey and Alger his subordinates all the while being a lower Sequence Beyonder than Alger just shows how witty and smart he is. I love his character. His inner thoughts being presented so often adds a lot to him and makes him feel actually real. He’s hilarious when it comes to his lampooning, but is able to be serious as required in a situation. The entire Antigonus family, Seer pathway and The Fool plotline associated with him is definitely the most intriguing aspect so far, I’m excited to see how it progresses.
And as for the other characters, honestly I loved pretty much all of them. Obviously this is just the first volume and the entire cast couldn’t simply be expanded upon yet, but a lot of them still had their moments and it was amazing. As for Old Neil and Dunn Smith, well. For Neil it felt kinda abrupt at first but circumstances surrounding his death had been set up for a while. It was incredibly tragic, but man what a representation of love it was, what an incredible conclusion. As for Dunn, just wow. His last moments were so damn good, basically the entire Nighthawks plotline so far converging in way to provide him strength and begin the fight with Megose. Would have loved it if he lived for more time, but nonetheless tho I loved his conclusion, especially as it was something which came after he ‘explained’ himself to Klein. It made it so much better.
I loved the way the story went from being light hearted at first with Klein sometimes being involved with some supernatural incidents to a potential disaster looming over Tingen, which was the culmination of all of the events so far.
Also I really loved the early chapters with the slice of life elements and the cozy atmosphere they had, one main reason I rate this volume highly. Thanks for reading
Having transmigrated to a mysterious world, Zhou Mingrui finds himself reincarnated as Klein Moretti, a history graduate. While Klein investigates the mysterious circumstances of his ‘death’, he gets involved in a world of Beyonders, potions, mysterious Sequence pathways and the like, and thus begins the legend of ‘The Fool’.
The volume starts off on a somewhat slow note. We are gradually introduced to the world set in an alternate Victorian era; Loen Kingdom. Awwa County, Tingen City, and other neighboring cities and kingdoms. The world building is good from the get go, the world actually feels real and you feel like you are a part of it.
The way the mysteries of the world are set up and gradually expanded upon, giving answers to old questions while new ones arise is something I really loved. The fact that pretty much all of the events so far had all been part of a plan by Ince Zangwill is a really cool approach the author took, easily connecting all the seemingly unrelated events.
Klein’s entire façade with being ‘The Fool’ is a really funny but amazing concept. Him playing the role of a mysterious god, making Audrey and Alger his subordinates all the while being a lower Sequence Beyonder than Alger just shows how witty and smart he is. I love his character. His inner thoughts being presented so often adds a lot to him and makes him feel actually real. He’s hilarious when it comes to his lampooning, but is able to be serious as required in a situation. The entire Antigonus family, Seer pathway and The Fool plotline associated with him is definitely the most intriguing aspect so far, I’m excited to see how it progresses.
And as for the other characters, honestly I loved pretty much all of them. Obviously this is just the first volume and the entire cast couldn’t simply be expanded upon yet, but a lot of them still had their moments and it was amazing. As for Old Neil and Dunn Smith, well. For Neil it felt kinda abrupt at first but circumstances surrounding his death had been set up for a while. It was incredibly tragic, but man what a representation of love it was, what an incredible conclusion. As for Dunn, just wow. His last moments were so damn good, basically the entire Nighthawks plotline so far converging in way to provide him strength and begin the fight with Megose. Would have loved it if he lived for more time, but nonetheless tho I loved his conclusion, especially as it was something which came after he ‘explained’ himself to Klein. It made it so much better.
I loved the way the story went from being light hearted at first with Klein sometimes being involved with some supernatural incidents to a potential disaster looming over Tingen, which was the culmination of all of the events so far.
Also I really loved the early chapters with the slice of life elements and the cozy atmosphere they had, one main reason I rate this volume highly. Thanks for reading
dnf
August 28, 2024Dnf at 35%
July 5 2024 - July 21 2024
July 5 2024 - July 21 2024
August 28, 2025
I got introduced to this web novel by the TikTok Skyfall Edits, which... of course. "The Fool Who Loves This World" is described as one of the best main characters ever written. After checking the INSANE amount of pages it had, I decided against it and it wasn't until two weeks ago that I finally gained the courage to tackle this.
Worth it. This book is INSANE. I just read one volume out of 8 and I still can't even begin to understand this universe. Let me try to write a synopsis and a review for people who are thinking of dabbling here:
Lord of the Mysteries is a transmigration novel where Zhou Mingrui suddenly possesses the body of Klein Moretti. The first things he sees are a revolver, a gunshot wound to his head, his poor conditions of living and a phrase in Klein's diary that leaves him with more questions than answers. The world is a steampunk Victorian mystery with deities, potions that grant powers and enough organizations to bring a world to life. The reader follows the journey Klein traverses throughout this world, its plots and even the burdens of mysticism to find a way to return to his own home.
----------------------------
This book features a main character who is smart, investigative, curious and realistic (I also want to gain money and powers). His narration feels fresh and genuine, while also being interesting and smart enough to make him different from any random person. He has his strengths, his oddities and his weaknesses and they are very clear to the reader; a thing that makes the reading of this book much better than a 2d OP character.
As to the World (not the Tarot Card), it is so big and great that it's overwhelming. Every organization has an end goal, activity and role in this book; every character is there for a reason and has a place in the story; and every place he visits is treated with the same importance as any other. The world is alive and brimming with questions in a way that we would need a book for every single character and epoch.
I enjoyed every minute of his inner monologue, he is so eager to learn and to participate in the story in a sense that feels natural and relatable. The way he mingles with the other characters and develops unique relationships with them is mesmerizing, so fun to read.
My only real criticism of this web novel (for now) is that it can be too much: in the first chapters even when we get named places, people, gods and objects all they do is overwhelm the reader and haven't even come into play a volume after. The book repeats this information every time it comes up, so expect a lot of repetition of information you still haven't quite digested (see what I did there?). For now, ignore it; don't try to understand the world fully.
As to the characters, I was slow to build a relationship with them, because Klein does take it easy and it feels like there are so many.... (surely not all of them will matter.... right?) But yes, most of them do matter and you will grow fond of them just by reading this book! It does not have 8 volumes for free.... It feels much more genuine to have this sort of relationship than instant friendship and characterization, or at least it feels right in this book.
The book is a journey. In all the ways one could interpret that, so don't rush it, enjoy it, taste it and let it cook.
The plot is heavy in mysticism, deities and rituals that propose a power system never before seen. Potions, ingredients and rituals that aren't taxing and boring but quite straightforward and easy to read. A group of paths and sequences that might seem chaotic at first but explain most of this world and its characterization. I am just in awe of how deep and thoughtful this system is (I will use it as inspo for DND).
It's aware and smart, calculated but loose enough that one can enjoy the journey of Klein solving the cases without needing to be a genius detective or pull the plot armour to justify what is going on.
I have been loving this book and I greatly recommend it.
Worth it. This book is INSANE. I just read one volume out of 8 and I still can't even begin to understand this universe. Let me try to write a synopsis and a review for people who are thinking of dabbling here:
Lord of the Mysteries is a transmigration novel where Zhou Mingrui suddenly possesses the body of Klein Moretti. The first things he sees are a revolver, a gunshot wound to his head, his poor conditions of living and a phrase in Klein's diary that leaves him with more questions than answers. The world is a steampunk Victorian mystery with deities, potions that grant powers and enough organizations to bring a world to life. The reader follows the journey Klein traverses throughout this world, its plots and even the burdens of mysticism to find a way to return to his own home.
----------------------------
This book features a main character who is smart, investigative, curious and realistic (I also want to gain money and powers). His narration feels fresh and genuine, while also being interesting and smart enough to make him different from any random person. He has his strengths, his oddities and his weaknesses and they are very clear to the reader; a thing that makes the reading of this book much better than a 2d OP character.
As to the World (not the Tarot Card), it is so big and great that it's overwhelming. Every organization has an end goal, activity and role in this book; every character is there for a reason and has a place in the story; and every place he visits is treated with the same importance as any other. The world is alive and brimming with questions in a way that we would need a book for every single character and epoch.
I enjoyed every minute of his inner monologue, he is so eager to learn and to participate in the story in a sense that feels natural and relatable. The way he mingles with the other characters and develops unique relationships with them is mesmerizing, so fun to read.
My only real criticism of this web novel (for now) is that it can be too much: in the first chapters even when we get named places, people, gods and objects all they do is overwhelm the reader and haven't even come into play a volume after. The book repeats this information every time it comes up, so expect a lot of repetition of information you still haven't quite digested (see what I did there?). For now, ignore it; don't try to understand the world fully.
As to the characters, I was slow to build a relationship with them, because Klein does take it easy and it feels like there are so many.... (surely not all of them will matter.... right?) But yes, most of them do matter and you will grow fond of them just by reading this book! It does not have 8 volumes for free.... It feels much more genuine to have this sort of relationship than instant friendship and characterization, or at least it feels right in this book.
The book is a journey. In all the ways one could interpret that, so don't rush it, enjoy it, taste it and let it cook.
The plot is heavy in mysticism, deities and rituals that propose a power system never before seen. Potions, ingredients and rituals that aren't taxing and boring but quite straightforward and easy to read. A group of paths and sequences that might seem chaotic at first but explain most of this world and its characterization. I am just in awe of how deep and thoughtful this system is (I will use it as inspo for DND).
It's aware and smart, calculated but loose enough that one can enjoy the journey of Klein solving the cases without needing to be a genius detective or pull the plot armour to justify what is going on.
I have been loving this book and I greatly recommend it.
January 30, 2026
Lord of the Mysteries, Volume 1: Clown by Ai Qianshui de Wuzei (Cuttlefish That Loves Diving)
Lord of the Mysteries, Volume 1: Clown is not merely the opening of a popular webnovel series; it is a meticulously constructed invitation into one of the most distinctive fantasy worlds of contemporary Chinese speculative fiction. Where many progression fantasies begin with spectacle or power, this volume begins with atmosphere, mystery, and unease, establishing a slow-burn narrative that rewards patience and attention.
The novel follows Zhou Mingrui, who awakens in the body of Klein Moretti after a ritual gone wrong. Rather than rushing into action, the narrative commits to grounding the reader in Klein’s disorientation, fear, and intellectual caution. This is a deliberate stylistic choice: the book prioritizes psychological realism over instant gratification. Klein’s survival depends less on brute force and more on reasoning, restraint, and careful observation, which immediately distinguishes him from the impulsive protagonists common in the genre.
Worldbuilding is the book’s greatest triumph. The Victorian-inspired setting, complete with steam technology, secret societies, newspapers, and churches, feels coherent and textured. The supernatural system—centered around “Beyonder pathways” and potion sequences—is introduced gradually, with each revelation carrying weight. The author resists exposition dumps, instead allowing knowledge to emerge through investigation, conversation, and consequence. This makes the world feel lived-in rather than constructed.
The prose style is restrained and methodical. This can feel slow to readers accustomed to rapid-fire action, but the trade-off is narrative density. Every detail—newspaper snippets, diary entries, ritual descriptions—contributes to the sense that there is a larger machinery operating beneath the surface. The book cultivates tension not through constant conflict, but through the persistent sense that something is wrong with the world and that knowledge itself is dangerous.
Characterization is similarly subtle. Klein is not immediately charismatic in a flamboyant sense, but he is intellectually engaging. His humor is dry, his caution believable, and his internal monologue consistently grounded. Secondary characters, from the Nighthawks to Klein’s family, are sketched with enough specificity to feel real without overshadowing the central mystery.
Where the book may frustrate some readers is pacing. The first volume invests heavily in setup—ritual mechanics, social structures, and investigative routines—before delivering major payoffs. However, this is less a flaw than a declaration of narrative philosophy: this is a story that builds architecture before spectacle.
Comparison with Contemporary Works in the Genre
Compared to many popular progression fantasy and webnovel contemporaries, Lord of the Mysteries occupies a distinct niche.
Versus Solo Leveling (Chugong): Where Solo Leveling prioritizes power escalation and visual spectacle, Clown emphasizes tension, investigation, and intellectual growth. The former delivers instant dopamine; the latter cultivates long-term immersion.
Versus Reverend Insanity (Gu Zhen Ren): Both share a dark tone and strategic protagonist, but Reverend Insanity is ruthless and ideological, while Lord of the Mysteries is existential and atmospheric. Klein’s morality remains human and conflicted, unlike Fang Yuan’s cold pragmatism.
Versus Western progression fantasy (e.g., Cradle by Will Wight): Cradle focuses on structured training and momentum; Clown focuses on epistemology—what can be known, what must be hidden, and what knowledge costs. One is kinetic; the other is cerebral.
This makes Lord of the Mysteries less immediately accessible than its flashier peers, but also more enduring. It is designed for readers who value coherence over convenience, atmosphere over adrenaline, and thematic depth over instant power.
Key Thematic Strengths
Knowledge as Danger: Information is power, but also corruption.
Identity and Displacement: Klein’s dual existence is treated as psychological tension, not a gimmick.
Faith vs. Manipulation: Religion is portrayed as both protective structure and political instrument.
Order Beneath Chaos: The supernatural follows rules, but those rules are terrifying once understood.
Final Assessment
Lord of the Mysteries, Volume 1: Clown is a demanding but deeply rewarding introduction to a complex narrative ecosystem. It does not cater to readers seeking instant gratification, but it richly compensates those who appreciate deliberate pacing, layered worldbuilding, and psychological authenticity.
In clear terms: this is not fast food fantasy. It is a carefully prepared, slow-cooked narrative—dense with meaning, structure, and long-term payoff. Among its contemporaries, it stands out as one of the most intellectually constructed progression fantasies of the last decade.
Some stories thrill you with power. This one unsettles you with knowledge—and that is precisely its brilliance.
Expanded Literary Companion to Lord of the Mysteries, Volume 1: Clown
Below you’ll find a comprehensive critical supplement covering four areas: a spoiler-heavy analysis, a structured chapter-by-chapter breakdown, a deep dive into the Beyonder system, and a character study of Klein Moretti — all written with clean intent and using your previously requested formatting tags.
Spoiler-Filled Analysis
Chapter-by-Chapter Breakdown (Condensed Structural Map)
Rather than listing all 200+ webnovel chapters individually, this breakdown groups them into coherent narrative arcs while preserving progression logic.
Awakening & Disorientation (Ch. 1–20)
Klein awakens in a foreign body, investigates the suicide, encounters the gray fog space, and begins reconstructing the life of Klein Moretti. These chapters prioritize mood, realism, and unease.
The Nighthawks & Hidden World (Ch. 21–60)
Introduction to Dunn Smith, Sealed Artifacts, Churches, and official Beyonders. The world’s institutional structure becomes visible, grounding the supernatural within bureaucracy.
The Antigonus Notebook Arc (Ch. 61–110)
Psychological horror dominates. Corruption, madness, and forbidden knowledge emerge as tangible forces. The diary’s influence escalates from curiosity to lethal danger.
Conflict & Collapse (Ch. 111–170)
The cultist conspiracy escalates. The Nighthawks suffer casualties. Dunn Smith’s death marks a tonal shift: safety is revealed to be temporary illusion.
Ascension to Clown (Ch. 171–End)
Klein digests the potion and stabilizes himself through discipline. His identity as a Beyonder solidifies, but the cost — paranoia, emotional distance, caution — is permanent.
Deep Dive into the Beyonder System
The Beyonder system is one of the most logically constructed power systems in modern fantasy, operating less like “magic” and more like metaphysical chemistry.
Core Structure
Sequences: Each pathway has numbered ranks (9 → 0), with lower numbers meaning greater power.
Potions: Advancement requires consuming carefully crafted formulas.
Acting Method: One must psychologically embody the concept of the sequence to stabilize digestion.
The genius lies in the psychological integration requirement. You cannot simply become stronger; you must reshape identity to match the metaphysical archetype. This prevents power from being purely mechanical.
Sequence 8: Clown (Klein’s Level)
Core Traits: Emotional control, performance, deception, precision.
Symbolism: The Clown smiles while hiding turmoil — mirroring Klein’s dual identity.
Thematic Function: Power requires self-suppression, not expression.
Unlike many fantasy systems that reward raw willpower, this one rewards discipline, self-knowledge, and restraint. This is philosophically aligned with the book’s broader warning: uncontrolled growth leads to madness.
Character Study: Klein Moretti
Klein is among the most psychologically coherent protagonists in web fiction because his behavior consistently reflects trauma, displacement, and rational survival.
Identity Conflict
He is simultaneously:
A modern man with scientific reasoning
A dead man occupying someone else’s life
A secret supernatural agent
A son, brother, and friend pretending continuity
This produces constant tension. Unlike many isekai protagonists who adapt effortlessly, Klein never truly feels at home.
Psychological Strengths
Rationality: He tests hypotheses rather than acting impulsively.
Emotional Containment: A survival mechanism, not stoicism.
Moral Moderation: He avoids both naïve heroism and ruthless pragmatism.
Tragic Undercurrent
What makes Klein compelling is that every step forward makes him less human. By the end of Volume 1, he is safer — but also more isolated, more guarded, more fragmented. His growth is not empowerment; it is adaptation to horror.
Klein does not become stronger to live freely.
He becomes stronger so that he may continue to endure.
Final Critical Perspective
Taken together, these elements explain why Lord of the Mysteries stands above most progression fantasy. It is not merely structured — it is philosophically integrated. Its power system reinforces its themes. Its protagonist embodies its worldview. Its pacing enforces its atmosphere.
This is not a story about becoming a god.
It is a story about what it costs to avoid becoming a monster.
January 28, 2026
Holy shit.
The main character's internal monologue is cringey. The author has some slightly conservative views on women and sex (not malicious, not creepy, just not empathetic enough)...
But THE STORY, THE DRAMA, THE TENSION, THE MYSTERY!
I couldn't put it down. I read at my commute, at work, at the gym. There was always a new theory, a new enigma to crack. Every hint is vital, but ultimately you can't guess everything. The ending chapters were a roller coaster of twists and turns with real guts.
I am jumping straight into volume 2. This was my best read this year so far.
The main character's internal monologue is cringey. The author has some slightly conservative views on women and sex (not malicious, not creepy, just not empathetic enough)...
But THE STORY, THE DRAMA, THE TENSION, THE MYSTERY!
I couldn't put it down. I read at my commute, at work, at the gym. There was always a new theory, a new enigma to crack. Every hint is vital, but ultimately you can't guess everything. The ending chapters were a roller coaster of twists and turns with real guts.
I am jumping straight into volume 2. This was my best read this year so far.
October 11, 2025
I actually ended up restarting this after a year because the donghua was about to release and I wanted to finish the series before that also I had forgotten everything in the first couple of chapters.
I’ve actually had the busiest year so I’ve been very picky with my books and webnovels feel like less expectation
However longer review to come…(rn I’m just updating gr)
I’ve actually had the busiest year so I’ve been very picky with my books and webnovels feel like less expectation
However longer review to come…(rn I’m just updating gr)
August 24, 2025
Hello new obsession. Goodbye 2025 reading goal.
June 26, 2025
The world building in this first volume of Lord of (the) Mysteries was phenomenal. Such a vast world with lots of spiritual pathways (for Beyonders) and many fantastic beings.
Our MC, formerly Zhou MingRui now Klein Moretti, wakes up after the original goods tried to kill himself by a head shot. Klein knows nothing about this world he ends up in but driven by the strong urge to get back to his old life on Earth he successfully builds himself a career as a Beyonder. Those are people with supernatural abilities that start small (with sequence 9) and might grow to a god-like persona (sequence 4 and upwards). Becoming a Beyonder comes not only with different abilities, depending on the chosen sequence, but also with its own set of rules and dangers.
I don’t want to reveal more about the plot because it was great that I could dive in while I knew next to nothing at the beginning. That way the twists and mysteries hit me like they were supposed to and I had a very good time.
Klein’s pov was great fun. He was that stingy youth that suddenly had to manoeuvre a world without the slightest clue but he adapted fast. I loved the fantastic horror elements that made this setting so unique. How Klein was very innocent but also strangely knowledgeable was captivating. I didn’t even mind the info dumb in the first quarter of the book nor did it faze me that there were many plot lines to keep track of.
For sure I’m not the only one being lured into the novel by the upcoming donghua (which is supposed to be airing tomorrow), but I’m very happy I finished it on time and before anybody could spoil the story for me. Also, I ’m very much looking forward to reading the next volume.
Our MC, formerly Zhou MingRui now Klein Moretti, wakes up after the original goods tried to kill himself by a head shot. Klein knows nothing about this world he ends up in but driven by the strong urge to get back to his old life on Earth he successfully builds himself a career as a Beyonder. Those are people with supernatural abilities that start small (with sequence 9) and might grow to a god-like persona (sequence 4 and upwards). Becoming a Beyonder comes not only with different abilities, depending on the chosen sequence, but also with its own set of rules and dangers.
I don’t want to reveal more about the plot because it was great that I could dive in while I knew next to nothing at the beginning. That way the twists and mysteries hit me like they were supposed to and I had a very good time.
Klein’s pov was great fun. He was that stingy youth that suddenly had to manoeuvre a world without the slightest clue but he adapted fast. I loved the fantastic horror elements that made this setting so unique. How Klein was very innocent but also strangely knowledgeable was captivating. I didn’t even mind the info dumb in the first quarter of the book nor did it faze me that there were many plot lines to keep track of.
For sure I’m not the only one being lured into the novel by the upcoming donghua (which is supposed to be airing tomorrow), but I’m very happy I finished it on time and before anybody could spoil the story for me. Also, I ’m very much looking forward to reading the next volume.
August 10, 2025
4.5 stars
I can see why people love this! It's really good! It started out slow but the second half was really intense! For those who started watching donghua first, I'd highly recommend to read it, since it contains a lot of details that were omitted.
Also I just saw the news that it might take 10+ years for the donghua to end?! On one hand great news that the whole series will be adapted but on the other hand...
I can see why people love this! It's really good! It started out slow but the second half was really intense! For those who started watching donghua first, I'd highly recommend to read it, since it contains a lot of details that were omitted.
Also I just saw the news that it might take 10+ years for the donghua to end?! On one hand great news that the whole series will be adapted but on the other hand...
January 15, 2025
"Melissa and Benson looked at the clown in a daze. All they saw was a wide smile plastered over the pastel face. It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile." ...... WHOSCUTTING ONIONNZZZZ
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2024
2k words of nothing
August 21, 2025
"Somos guardianes, pero también un montón de desgraciados miserables que están luchando constantemente contra amenazas y la locura."
—Dunn Smith
TARDÉ AÑOS EN LEER LA NOVELA, siempre quise leer pero algo me detenía hasta que donghua me dió motivos de leerlo y me digo "¿Porque no leí antes?"
Para ser introductorio, me encantó mucho leer, además mi parte favorita es cuando siempre le suben el sueldo a Klein, incluso siendo el líder de una organización secreta, es pobre ME MEO DKFKMFMS
El final me rompió, y más cuando vi a Klein y Leonard llorar por su capitán. Tenía el leve presentimiento de que iba a morir por un spoiler que me topé, y aún así me encariñé, así que su muerte me traumo, todo pasó tan rápido, hubo muchas pérdidas, ganaron ¿pero a que costo?
Les digo que extraño y extraño a los Halcones Nocturnos, ahora que ando leyendo el segundo volumen, siento que fue mi casita segura, porque el segundo, Klein está solo, se alejó de sus hermanos para protegerlos y vengarse de quiénes lo hicieron daño.
Y entendí los fanarts de Klein siendo un payaso mientras veía por ultima vez a Benson y Melissa, fue doloroso ese final.
—Dunn Smith
TARDÉ AÑOS EN LEER LA NOVELA, siempre quise leer pero algo me detenía hasta que donghua me dió motivos de leerlo y me digo "¿Porque no leí antes?"
Para ser introductorio, me encantó mucho leer, además mi parte favorita es cuando siempre le suben el sueldo a Klein, incluso siendo el líder de una organización secreta, es pobre ME MEO DKFKMFMS
El final me rompió, y más cuando vi a Klein y Leonard llorar por su capitán. Tenía el leve presentimiento de que iba a morir por un spoiler que me topé, y aún así me encariñé, así que su muerte me traumo, todo pasó tan rápido, hubo muchas pérdidas, ganaron ¿pero a que costo?
Les digo que extraño y extraño a los Halcones Nocturnos, ahora que ando leyendo el segundo volumen, siento que fue mi casita segura, porque el segundo, Klein está solo, se alejó de sus hermanos para protegerlos y vengarse de quiénes lo hicieron daño.
Y entendí los fanarts de Klein siendo un payaso mientras veía por ultima vez a Benson y Melissa, fue doloroso ese final.
August 12, 2025
5/5 stars
i am terribly distraught because of all the pacing and love the characters just for that crazy ending.
Absolutely loved this book and I cannot wait to finish this whole series. Phenomenal (╥﹏╥)
i am terribly distraught because of all the pacing and love the characters just for that crazy ending.
Absolutely loved this book and I cannot wait to finish this whole series. Phenomenal (╥﹏╥)
September 15, 2025
The entire book was exposition, except for the last five chapters. Also within those chapters, the reader is given the reason for why Volume 1 is named “The Clown”.
Granted, I’m still going to continue this series, but much like the tradition of Chinese light novels, this was very slow to start.
Granted, I’m still going to continue this series, but much like the tradition of Chinese light novels, this was very slow to start.
January 30, 2025
Even though it's looked upon with a bit of disregard, I enjoy reading Light Novels.
Nowadays, it's very common to create manga based in LN.
Usually it's full of tropes, a bit predictable and overall a guilty pleasure.
But sometimes, sometimes you find something incredible. Something worth checking, breaking paradigms, or even transcending the boundaries of what it should be.
I thought that my beloved (and unfinished for political reasons) "Reverend Insanity" was the only one.
No.
Lord of the Mysteries is another one.
First, it's not wuxia. If there's some genre similar to it, would be Bloodborne.
Second, no usual power sets. Totally new and very deep power system.
Klein isn't some amazing superpowered MC. He's actually pretty weak. He's lucky as hell, but nothing absurd.
Third, the world building is amazing. To me this author became, in my mind, the Asian Tolkien. There's a really vivid world, well lived in and really interesting.
The characters are really well constructed, and most of all, really human.
That's it. I can write more, can write all day about this.
But I'll end here.
Just read it. It's fabulous.
Nowadays, it's very common to create manga based in LN.
Usually it's full of tropes, a bit predictable and overall a guilty pleasure.
But sometimes, sometimes you find something incredible. Something worth checking, breaking paradigms, or even transcending the boundaries of what it should be.
I thought that my beloved (and unfinished for political reasons) "Reverend Insanity" was the only one.
No.
Lord of the Mysteries is another one.
First, it's not wuxia. If there's some genre similar to it, would be Bloodborne.
Second, no usual power sets. Totally new and very deep power system.
Klein isn't some amazing superpowered MC. He's actually pretty weak. He's lucky as hell, but nothing absurd.
Third, the world building is amazing. To me this author became, in my mind, the Asian Tolkien. There's a really vivid world, well lived in and really interesting.
The characters are really well constructed, and most of all, really human.
That's it. I can write more, can write all day about this.
But I'll end here.
Just read it. It's fabulous.
April 6, 2023
I am amazed, i never expected the first volume to be this good, the mysteries are really well crafted, they pulled me totally in, the power system looks awesome and i have so much more to know, even the characters were good, especially in the ending chapters, that was totally astonishing. Only four stars because sometimes i feel the grey fog is a deus ex but it is still well implemented and coherent, i still expect a good explanation to that mystery and the first 36 chapters were not that good as the ones after that.
January 6, 2025
A slow and wonderful start, full of joy with a heartbreaking twist. Klein Moretti is the best.
"He's a hero, a true hero."
"The best Elder brother."
"The best younger Brother."
"Our dear Brother."
"Melissa and Benson looked at the Clown in a daze. All they saw was a wide smile plastered over the pastel face. It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile."
"He's a hero, a true hero."
"The best Elder brother."
"The best younger Brother."
"Our dear Brother."
"Melissa and Benson looked at the Clown in a daze. All they saw was a wide smile plastered over the pastel face. It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile."
September 10, 2024
I can get along with the ending , WDYM Klein had lost his home and word for the second time and ....
My captain oh my captain
You will never be forgotten by me
And I'm gonna miss you forever
You can now enjoy the rest with your coworkers
Rest in peace the greatest guardian of all time
My captain oh my captain
You will never be forgotten by me
And I'm gonna miss you forever
You can now enjoy the rest with your coworkers
Rest in peace the greatest guardian of all time
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2025
DNF @ 70%. I really tried but I'm not the demographic for webnovels. I wish it had been split into 3 "books" instead of one super long book, but I totally understand/appreciate that it has a huge cult following despite the excessive length and detail the author uses to create a world.
April 18, 2025
i cant believe thousand pages can contain this little plot, the world building is interesting but plotwise it feels like first two chapters of a book
September 3, 2025
Ik ben begonnen met lezen naar aanleiding van de anime. De novel is veel uitgebreider en gaat dieper in op vrijwel alles, maar ondanks het massief aantal pagina's leest het heel lekker weg en blijft interessant. Het is een isekai, steampunk, fantasy, mystery, horror met een uniek magie systeem. Het is een complete serie van 8 volumes van allemaal rond de 1000 pagina's waar ik met deze in een week doorheen gesjeesd ben. Voorlopig ben ik nog even aan het lezen!
August 14, 2025
Despite the lacking writing, which I attribute to English being an insufficient language and the translator himself plus a certain rawness due to this being a webnovel, I gotta say: HOLY FRICK.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews