Lord of Mysteries, Vol. 1: The Clown, Part I

Lord of Mysteries #1.1

by Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, Ai Qianshui de Wuzei, Webnovel (Translator)

In the storm of steam and machinery, who can achieve the extraordinary? In the fog of history and darkness, who whispers? When Zhou Mingrui wakes up bloody and dazed, he finds himself in a world of guns, factories, airships, and difference engines. But underneath the surface of all this industry, there exists a secret society revolving around potions, divination, sealed artifacts, and much more. As Zhou Mingrui tries to find out what brought him to this place, he quickly learns that mystery is lurking around every corner—and danger is never far behind! This is the legend of the Fool…

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Light Novel, Horror, Fiction, Steampunk, Adventure

580 pages, Paperback

Published July 29, 2025

About the author

Associated 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)

Reviews

[Christina]

This edition covers the first 76 chapters (about a third of Vol. 1 – The Clown arc), and I’m loving the setup so far—Klein Moretti has completely won me over!

[Huda Al-Mossalli]

Struggled rating this, 4 stars felt too high and 3 felt too low.

Why it deserves 4 ⭐️
🕯️ The writing style was descriptive enough to give good visualization, and the pacing was the greatest I ever read. I’ve read 50% in 9 hours and not one moment i felt tired from the story. Plus it is rare that I enjoy reading fight scenes, the author did well in writing cozy and intense moments.
….
🕯️ The premise is actually very cool and intriguing, and since this is the beginning of a long series , you can feel how epic it could be by how little we know now, but also I can’t imagine where it’s going which is exciting.
…
🕯️The character dynamics in every regard is fun to read, I love everyone. I especially love the siblings relationship.
…
🕯️ Secret societies and organizations, this book has them all, and they are so FUN to read about.
…
🕯️ The main character is funny and knowledgeable, it’s fun following a character that is written to be useful and not as a device for the reader to learn the world. (Sometimes characters are purposely dumb so this was refreshing) love how competent he is

Why it deserves 3
🌘 Some moments this seemed to be handed to the character and very convenient things happened, HOWEVER, there is an inkling that there’s a reason why this actually happens a force in the back I could say, so we’ll see how it’s written in the future if that’s true OR the character actually has plot armor , for now idk.

🌘Some descriptions and the amount of unnecessary details the author likes to mention is annoying sometimes, but since the writing is very smooth it isn’t too bad.

🌘 The magic system is not bad but so far I’m not hooked into it or very excited. The setting/world building and characters are the things that made me excited about this series.

🃏🃏
So yes as you can see the reason of 4 stars are more so that’s why it’s 4⭐️. (And I genuine can’t give it 3 because that means average for me)

[James 🦤]

I love this setting and its characters. It’s so diverse, interesting, and well thought out.

My biggest gripe with this particular edition is the translation. It’s workable, don’t get me wrong, definitely finishing the series with this version, but it comes off as stilted at times and I noted several errors. Chinese to English is a difficult translation to get right, and this is definitely better than the fan translations I’d tried in the past, but it’s still not quite there.

[Jessica]

Book 1 can barely be considered an introduction to the story, considering it’s one third of the clown arc nothing besides basic set up happens.
It has a clunky, juvenile writing style. Far too many exclamation points, heavy exposition dumps, and a tendency to tell rather than show. Characters say things to sound dramatic… only for the reader to realize it makes no sense. The translation also feels very stiff at times.

But underneath the actual writing is a dark, compelling world full of mystery, cosmic horror, and a unique power system that stands out. Klein is an intriguing lead, and I expect the story to become more gripping as it unfolds.

It’s a rough beginning, but I trust the fans of the series to be right in it getting better with time.

… plus I was told there were pirates later on :)

[Akshay]

Lord of the Mysteries, Vol. 1: The Clown, Part I by Cuttlefish That Loves Diving doesn’t grab you with explosions or instant power—it tightens its grip slowly, patiently, until you realize escape was never an option. This is the opening move of one of the most meticulously constructed webnovel fantasies of the last decade, blending cosmic horror, Victorian mystery, occult systems, and psychological erosion with unnerving precision.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Overall Review

Part I of The Clown reads like an extended ignition sequence. Instead of front-loading spectacle, Cuttlefish focuses on accumulation: rules layered on rules, dread built from implication, and secrets that never arrive whole. The pacing is deliberately restrained, but that restraint is the novel’s greatest weapon. Newspapers, rituals, potion digestion—every mundane detail serves a structural purpose. When horror finally surfaces, it feels inevitable rather than abrupt.

Unlike many power-fantasy contemporaries, this volume withholds catharsis. Power is unstable, sanity is conditional, and knowledge itself is dangerous. Even in translation, the prose remains controlled and procedural, reinforcing the sense that this world operates according to grim, indifferent laws.

Arc-Wise Breakdown (Spoiler-Filled)

Arc 1: Transmigration & Uneasy Grounding

Klein Moretti awakens in the body of a young man in a Victorian-inspired city, inheriting debts, family obligations, and the creeping certainty that something is deeply wrong. There is no wish fulfillment—only confusion, responsibility, and dread. Klein’s first instinct is survival, not ambition.

Arc 2: The Occult Awakening

Accidental participation in secret rituals introduces the novel’s core idea: the supernatural exists, but it is regulated, dangerous, and observed. The tarot club ritual—performed with incomplete understanding—quietly binds Klein to higher existences without his consent.

Arc 3: The Nighthawks & Institutional Horror

Klein joins the Nighthawks, an official organization tasked with handling supernatural incidents. Cosmic horror becomes bureaucratic. Monsters are catalogued, sealed, and fought by procedure—but procedure does not guarantee survival. The deaths of colleagues reinforce the absence of plot armor.

Arc 4: Beyonder Potions & Mental Corrosion

The Seer pathway reframes power as corrosion. Abilities are gained through potion consumption, and “digestion” becomes a fragile psychological balancing act. Klein’s caution sharply contrasts with other Beyonders who spiral into madness or mutation.

Chapter-Wise Thematic Breakdown

Early Chapters

Identity displacement, financial anxiety, and the slow realization that return is impossible. Horror emerges through implication rather than confrontation.

Mid Chapters

Mystery takes center stage: secret societies, coded language, partial truths. Klein becomes a detective not by choice, but necessity.

Late Chapters

Escalation without spectacle. The supernatural becomes routine—which is far more unsettling. Klein’s inner narration grows colder, sharper, and more strategic.

Character Study: Klein Moretti (Part I)

Klein’s defining trait is caution. Where genre peers reward recklessness, Klein survives by overthinking. His humor is defensive, his morality pragmatic but intact. Crucially, he never fully adapts—alienation persists, keeping the world hostile and uncomfortable.

Thematic Core

Knowledge as Contagion

The more Klein learns, the closer he drifts toward madness. Information is power—and poison.

Systems Over Individuals

Gods, organizations, and pathways dwarf personal agency. Survival depends on understanding systems, not defeating enemies.

Cosmic Horror Through Restraint

The novel evokes Lovecraftian dread without imitation. The unknown is terrifying not because it attacks—but because it watches.

Comparison to Genre Contemporaries

Compared to Reverend Insanity or Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Lord of the Mysteries is slower and more methodical. It lacks immediate shock value but surpasses both in world coherence and atmospheric control. Power progression here feels earned, fragile, and reversible.

Final Assessment

Lord of the Mysteries, Vol. 1: The Clown, Part I is a masterclass in patience and psychological tension. It trusts the reader, refuses shortcuts, and turns restraint into horror. This is not a story about becoming powerful—it’s about how long you can stay sane once the truth starts paying attention to you.

[Rayne]

wow

[Caitlyn]

Praise the Fool!

[Lidik]

This is classic, addictive light novel experience. I really enjoy that we are following the thought pattern of the antagonist. Yes, there are some logic flaws and things tend to fall into place - but it’s an interesting story. You can tell that it is from China given the divination focus, which is different from others that I’ve read. Every time it would come up I would just think about the I Ching and the fact that I dropped it after twenty pages.
I also really appreciated the references to culture and literature, the author trusts that the audience can get some really niche references and it’s rewarding when you spot them.

[✧desiree✧]

3.5☆ Review:

Let’s not talk about how I spent nine months reading this, I experienced multiple reading slumps within that time frame.

Klein is a very entertaining main character.

I love the storyline and many of the other characters I met along the way.

But, the translation isn’t perfect and there’s an excessive amount of description that I felt was unneeded and made the story drag. It made the book harder for me to pick up.

I’ll definitely be continuing the series, but it’s going to take me a while to get through the whole thing considering just how long it is.

[Dee]

5 ⭐


Such an amazing introduction to the world despite some parts being a bit slow. I really love Klein and how his mind works, it's so amusing to read. Also that last few chapters are crazy I did not expect that at all.

[Miriam]

*3.75
Entertaining but I don't think I'll continue. A series has to be insanely good for me to read that many chapters

[Bibliothecat]

Many thanks to Bunny for joining me for this buddy read!

I shall preface this by saying: this was a lot. And that's not necessarily a bad thing - I picked this up knowing it would be a long series, but by the time the first volume I arrived I realised that it about twice as long as I had anticipated and I dare say this first volume with it's near 600-pages just scratches the surface of where this series is headed.

Lord of Mysteries has immense worldbuilding, and while it is a lot to take in - especially this early in the story - it is incredibly well done and one that pays off. So yes, this first volume is very dense and some people might struggle to get through it. The very short chapters do definitely help getting through this more easily. Nevertheless, whilst enormous, this is world building done right and it is fascinating to see this world unfold.

What truly carried this book for me was the main character Klein Moretti aka Mingrui. This is an isekai/portal fantasy and that alone already adds some interesting cultural mixture: Mingrui isn't quite sure what happened, but he finds himself waking up n the body of a Klein Moretti who lives in a Victorian-like world with plenty of steam punk vibes. This leads to some fun commentary of Klein observing this world both from the point of view of a contemporary and Chinese in this new world. So as not to attract too much attention, he embraces Klein's identity and essentially takes over his life which includes siblings and a job interview right around the corner. Klein's main goal remains the same throughout though; find a way to get home. And for that, he needs to dig into the mysteries of this world.

Whilst by and large a pretty standard historic setting, there are gods and so called Beyonders involved; regular people who have developed special powers by means of drinking special potions. In an attempt to uncover the truth, Klein gets himself involved in super natural crime investigations, secret organisations and underground movements - add to that his domestic life with his siblings and more of a quadruple than a double life he's leading!

This book also doesn't shy away from horror and gore elements, be it rotting corpses or grotesque monsters. While we haven't all all too much of either yet, they do already set the tone for the series. And despite being thrown into all this, Klein remains a very level headed character throughout; I absolutely loved him as a narrator. He is kind and humorous, admits fear but generally stays calm in the face of the extreme. I find him a very compelling and intelligent character which makes him perfect for all the roles he is trying to pull off. I also enjoyed all the different elements; the more crime and detective side of things. The magic system which feels akin to an RPG, the horror and mysteries.

While we haven't gotten to know the rest of the cast well - it is an immense cast but non of whom feel one too many - but they are all interesting and I look forward to learning more about them. While this first volume was fairly slow due to all the set up and worldbuilding, this first volume ended with a bang and I am very curious to see what Klein finds out next. And just in case I didn't highlight it enough: fantastic world building and an even better main character.

[Katie]

3.75 stars

I enjoyed Lord of the Mysteries, but I also think it’s a book that really tests your patience before it rewards you.

The first 200–240 pages are heavy on worldbuilding, which I expected, but the fixation on the monetary system was excessive. I understand why it’s there, Klein comes from poverty, money matters to him, and the author is grounding the supernatural world in material reality, but it was overexplained to the point of dragging the pacing. Conversion rates, costs, and repeated reminders of how expensive or inconvenient things were could have been conveyed far more efficiently. The book would genuinely benefit from tighter editing in this section.

Once Klein becomes a Seer (around page 238), the story improves significantly. From there through to roughly page 470, I found the book much more engaging. The concept of potion digestion, the Emperor’s diary, and especially the Divination Club and Tarot Club were standouts. The Tarot Club in particular is a fascinating social structure built on secrecy, symbolism, and asymmetric information, easily one of the strongest elements of the book.

The final 100 pages are where the story truly shines. The introduction of secret societies, the Antigonus family, and the clown antagonist finally bring momentum, tension, and intrigue together. This section felt sharp, focused, and genuinely exciting, it made me wish the entire book had operated at this level.

I also noticed differences between editions: the Kindle version appears tighter, with less padding and slightly stronger language, which likely would have improved my reading experience had I read that version from the start.

Overall, this is a solid first installment with a compelling premise and excellent ideas, but it suffers from unnecessary verbosity early on. I’m continuing the series because the foundation is now laid, and the final stretch proves the story has real potential — but this book definitely takes its time getting there.

[Caspar]

Lord of Mysteries introduces you to a world in the midst of an industrial revolution, packed with mystery as the title may already suggest and a lot of horror elements. The pacing is rather slow - in fact, not a single day gets ever skipped - but I found myself really appreciating the attention to detail that promises an extremely well thought out and rich world building where thousand years of history seems realistically complex and everything from government bodies, different cultures, inflation down to everyday items is careful planned out - and not to forget the interesting magic system. This may of course seem like a lot of information that's thrown at the reader but it's done organically throughout the plot without making your head hurt. I kind of expected the slow pacing to bore me at one point but it never did as the author knows how to hold suspension and build up characters I took an interest in. Just sometimes I really didn't seem to understand some jokes, especially between Neal and Klein, which probably were lost in the translation, which is a little bit unfortunate. All in all I really enjoyed this book and I'm kind of scared that I'll probably be interested in picking up the sequels as well, after all this series is pretty long.

[Erika Masr]

Horror and mystery - truly one of the best web novel series I've read!

There are times when I start reading out of boredom without expecting much and suddenly I realize that I am hooked - and this time was it. The beginning was interesting enough but soon I found myself slightly lost, my thoughts wandering as I read through the chapters. But around chapter 90 I realized that I found a treasure and I couldn't go back!

When I started reading this, there were less that 100 chapters translated and I came back to this novel every day for more (this book has 1000+ chapters). There are really not that many novels where I have ever been so dedicated.

The main character is interesting, smart and grows quickly in a Victorian steampunk based world where supernatural abilities and gods are hidden from the usual masses (but those who know - know). I think that the part which hooked me (and most other people who are crazy about this series) is the hidden society - without it the book wouldn't be as intriguing. The characters are well-developed and even the villains are interesting, multidimensional and smart.

What's most surprising about this book - there's no romance, and I actually think it makes this series better.

Definitely recommend!

[Esteban Florentino]

De los mejores libros de fantasía que he leído en el último tiempo, un sistema de poderes y magia, muy bien estructurado y complejo que me recuerda a Brandon Sanderson, pero sin ser tan rígido. Muchos personajes, pero cada uno bien desarrollado y con importancias en la historia todos inteligentes sin usos de Dex X máquina que se usa frecuentemente en estos libros.

[Aiden Smith]

so many mysteries

huge fan of mysteries

church of the evernight goddess? the blasphemy stone? the antigonus family of the fourth epoch? hell yes

minor plot convenience, and the isekai format can be kinda cringe, but overall the vibe is sick

[Brittaney]

Came for this after watching the anime and learning the webnovel is being published in English paperbacks. I think I would have liked the book less if I hadn't watched the anime, as I feel both the anime and the book give me different, but needed perspectives of what is going on.

That being said, props to the writer for creating such an interesting and intricate world and magic system, giving just enough information to make me crave more information and continue reading. Definitely one of the most interesting settings I've read about in a while.

I am a bit annoyed at the fact the first part just ended smack dab in the middle. I could point out three other chapters that were better points to end the first part.

[devin]

MY FAVORITE SERIES FINALLY IN PRINT.

Now, I’ll be clear here. I’ve already read the entirety of Lord of (the) Mysteries. Originally, it’s a Web Novel. Arguably the best one, and it’s no contest since Reverend Insanity never finished. Nevertheless, I acquired the first physical release, due to an ordering error I actually ended up with four copies of it. Which became nice gifts.

I wanted to read it before writing a review on it, as the translation and format are different than the web novel. Which is for the best. It’s formatted like a normal fantasy book, with annotations from the translator for additional information when needed. Sometimes explaining Chinese cultural references and mostly citing Poems from literature, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

It’s an Otherworld Fantasy, otherwise knows as an Isekai, or Transmigration. The Clown, Part I is the first in the series, with Part II having just been released. It follows a man named Zhou Mingrui, a modern man from earth who awakens in the body of Klein Moretti in a fog-shrouded, Victorian-era Steampunk world. And the Author, Cuttlefish, has done extensive research for it, it’s a very intricate world building that lets you experience the world alongside Klein.

It’s a world where mysticism, secret societies, and ancient gods quietly shape reality. And we learn about the world the same time as the main character. It’s beautifully crafted. What begins as a struggle to survive in an unfamiliar life soon draws Klein into the hidden side of this world—one governed by occult rituals and supernatural “Pathways.” The Power System is complex, but it makes sense as you go. There’s plenty of explanations online if needed.

The Clown, Part I sets the foundation for the series with a slow-burn atmosphere, meticulous worldbuilding, and an unsettling blend of detective fiction, cosmic horror, and transmigration fantasy—where knowledge is power, and curiosity can be deadly.

[Natalie]

I have decidedly mixed feelings with this book.
First, let's talk about the positives. The world is richly imagined and detailed. The author clearly spent a lot of time considering everything from the monetary system, to politics, to the magic. Klein/Zighou is an intelligent main character, and we can see most everything that he is thinking, how he reacts to this world, and how he combines knowledge from his previous life and his new one to solve problems. The book reads quickly, and I found myself flying through the pages once I sat down to read. The last several chapters were quite good, as were several others when the Beyonders were working together to solve a problem.

Now, the negatives. The translation is stilted and awkward. The narrative jumps from place to place, describing some things in great detail while leaving others unexplored to the point of confusion. Klein barely reacts to the transmigration in the beginning of the novel. He will occasionally mention his old life, but doesn't seem to miss his family or is eager to return. He swiftly *becomes* Klein, and is almost happy to leave his old life behind. The political, monetary, and magic systems are almost TOO well described. Instead of placing these descriptions in the plot itself, the author should have made an appendix with all of this information that the reader could relate back to when needed. I'm not going to remember nor do I care how many solis are in a pound, who is the ruling class of Tingen, what the dynasties of the last 2000 years were, and what the rank of each magic class is. The reader's eyes will gloss over, and you will lose them (case in point, me).

All in all, a very ambitious, very imaginative work that really could have used an appendix, a better translator, and several rounds of editing. I don't think I will be continuing this series, but I did enjoy my experience with it.

[Laura]

This is one of the weirdest yet oddly compelling books I've read. I was immediately enthralled with the anime, but confused by the complex and super fast moving plot, so decided to read the translated web series. The protagonist is an unlikable, arrogant Gary Stu, and the writing is often cringingly poor and clunky (though some of that is likely due to translation), but dang it, the world building, lore, and magic system is so interesting I find myself giving it four stars. I'm a sucker for weird, cool magic systems, and must keep reading to discover the full set of pathways/sequences in this world.

[TJ Vensel]

The narrative in this book was really interesting. The combination of industrialization/machinery and divination was really enjoyable because it made magic appear as an addition to one’s strength rather than a sole source of power. The characters feel more integrated in the real world rather than the mysticism of a fantasy novel.

As a stand alone book, it feels like a lot of exposition. Knowing the expansive nature of this series though, this was a great set up for the continuation of not only the arc but also the series.

[AJ]

Okay I tried and tried and tried but I could not get into this book. I’ve seen the first few episodes of the anime and the book series was recommended to me, but as much as I like the story, find the world building cool, and overall WANT to know what happens…the writing is killing me. I’m not sure if it’s the translation or the particular style of the author but I can’t get into it. I think I will stick to just watching the anime, as I’m hesitant to invest the time this series fully needs when I have other books I’m interested in.

[Morgane Vienem]

Mais qu'elle grosse dinguerie !! Bon faut aimer quand c'est compliqué au niveau du lore mais niveau lecture c'est franchement ok. Les persos sont ultras attachant (Klein et ses pensées intrusive la on adore❤️) un tome un qui nous laisse pas sur notre faim mais qui donne quand même sacrément envie de lire la suite 💪

[SlowBone]

3.75

[Bluuberry.0]

Unnecessarily slow and long… will I be reading book two anyways? Yes.

[Alice R]

I genuinely had no idea what was going on this whole volume... maybe I should just watch the show

[Luka]

The Fool not of this era,
you are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog.
You are the King of Yellow and Black and the Lord of Good Luck.

[Ash]

This is so slow!! And it's just 1/3 or first volume!!

[pareidolia]

It's truly a rather slow start, due to Cuttlefish not only describing every single thing in this world in excruciating detail, but also telling you exactly what all these things cost - which is at least in character, as Klein's biggest love in life is money (sorry, Leonard!).

Well, as they say, even transmigrators can't escape capitalism.

Webnovelisms and exposition aside, it was nice to fill the gaps left by the much faster paced donghua and spent more time with the characters. They've grown on me, just like Benson and Melissa have already grown on Klein. Yen Press's edition is also very pretty and crafted with attention to detail, and the translation is very readable.