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Lord of the Mysteries
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 the 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.
9300 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2020
795 people are currently reading
4626 people want to read
About the author
Ai Qianshui de Wuzei
261 books172 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)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
June 25, 2022
Review of Book #1 - Clown
[Our MC]
Zhou Mingrui is a plump Chinese college student who finds himself transmigrated after performing a good luck ritual in his dorm. He wakes up in the body of Klein Moretti, adding this man's memories to his own. After examining his room Zhou learns that the original Klein committed suicide by gunshot after writing an ominous message in his journal. Masquerading as Klein at first, Zhou makes an earnest effort to return home by repeating the ritual that brought him there… only to enter a mental realm within a ‘gray fog’ that lets him spiritually network with others. With the goal of returning home, Zhou lives his life as Klein Moretti - resolving to learn more about this world's mysteries.
[Plot]
After discovering the gray fog and reaching out to Audrey Hall (an affluent young lady of the royal court) and Alger Wilson (a distinguished sea pirate operating for the Church of Storms), we establish the Tarot Club, specializing in trafficking Beyonder secrets. At the same time, Klein falls under investigation by the Nighthawks, a church police force, and learns that the cause of the original’s suicide is wrapped up in the investigation of a mystical notebook owned by an ancient family. After assisting the Nighthawks with their investigation, Klein is quick to join their ranks and becomes a Beyonder within just a few months after distinguished service. He uncovers the Pathway of Seer in the journals of another transmigrator, an ancient emperor. His days become mired in coincidences, leading his investigation closer and closer to that notebook which claimed his life…
[System]
This world revolves around sequence potions and the ‘pathways’ of power they grant. In accordance with tarot's major arcana, there are 22 pathways available with 10 Sequenced levels. Sequence potions and their ingredients are tightly guarded by the organizations of this world (different churches or militia groups) and thus you must join them to access these Pathways. This isn’t without its peril, however: unless you digest the potion in full, you run the risk of going mad or turning into an eldritch abomination. Each Sequence represents a unique potion to consume as well, with the materials coming from legendary creatures and costing thousands.
Before you can move to the next potion in a sequence, you must completely ‘digest’ a potion in a spiritual sense. The method of breaking down each potion in a sequence through ‘acting’ the role (Seer, Clown, Telepath, etc.) is handled through immersing yourself in the title. Revelations and breakthroughs help you to metabolize the magic, which Klein receives through working with the Nighthawk agency. As he continues pursuing these cases of coincidence throughout the city, he learns lessons regarding his divinations as well as better ways to conduct rituals. The progression of both the narrative and the magic is seamlessly intertwined.
This is an author who knew exactly what they wanted out of their series. The plotting of coincidence and passive events between characters contributing to the larger narrative is handled better in this Chinese web novel than I've seen in most western work. Though the author reiterates details of the world frequently, it helps to build a sprawling magic system in a world that's so unique I truly wonder how deep the planning goes. The interaction between characters and how they lean on each other for their development is presented in such a pleasant way. You really feel each of these characters as a completed person; I've yet to find any two that have felt jarringly similar.
So much more to say about Lord of the Mysteries but I won’t spoil it in my review. The first 100 chapters are a roller coaster of worldbuilding and magic system development. I was gun-shy about the frequent reiteration at first, but I came to enjoy it as the exposition was layered against an event or personal growth for Klein. Someone in a previous thread said that it’s there because the actions themselves happen so fast. Without an explanation of function, the act itself is grand and concise.
Great book. The combination of charms, techniques and spells was extremely well done. Gladly picking up the rest of the series. Looking forward to going back to it after I finish the rest of this 20-book challenge. Thanks to the anon that recommended it to me in a thread some time ago.
[Our MC]
Zhou Mingrui is a plump Chinese college student who finds himself transmigrated after performing a good luck ritual in his dorm. He wakes up in the body of Klein Moretti, adding this man's memories to his own. After examining his room Zhou learns that the original Klein committed suicide by gunshot after writing an ominous message in his journal. Masquerading as Klein at first, Zhou makes an earnest effort to return home by repeating the ritual that brought him there… only to enter a mental realm within a ‘gray fog’ that lets him spiritually network with others. With the goal of returning home, Zhou lives his life as Klein Moretti - resolving to learn more about this world's mysteries.
[Plot]
After discovering the gray fog and reaching out to Audrey Hall (an affluent young lady of the royal court) and Alger Wilson (a distinguished sea pirate operating for the Church of Storms), we establish the Tarot Club, specializing in trafficking Beyonder secrets. At the same time, Klein falls under investigation by the Nighthawks, a church police force, and learns that the cause of the original’s suicide is wrapped up in the investigation of a mystical notebook owned by an ancient family. After assisting the Nighthawks with their investigation, Klein is quick to join their ranks and becomes a Beyonder within just a few months after distinguished service. He uncovers the Pathway of Seer in the journals of another transmigrator, an ancient emperor. His days become mired in coincidences, leading his investigation closer and closer to that notebook which claimed his life…
[System]
This world revolves around sequence potions and the ‘pathways’ of power they grant. In accordance with tarot's major arcana, there are 22 pathways available with 10 Sequenced levels. Sequence potions and their ingredients are tightly guarded by the organizations of this world (different churches or militia groups) and thus you must join them to access these Pathways. This isn’t without its peril, however: unless you digest the potion in full, you run the risk of going mad or turning into an eldritch abomination. Each Sequence represents a unique potion to consume as well, with the materials coming from legendary creatures and costing thousands.
Before you can move to the next potion in a sequence, you must completely ‘digest’ a potion in a spiritual sense. The method of breaking down each potion in a sequence through ‘acting’ the role (Seer, Clown, Telepath, etc.) is handled through immersing yourself in the title. Revelations and breakthroughs help you to metabolize the magic, which Klein receives through working with the Nighthawk agency. As he continues pursuing these cases of coincidence throughout the city, he learns lessons regarding his divinations as well as better ways to conduct rituals. The progression of both the narrative and the magic is seamlessly intertwined.
This is an author who knew exactly what they wanted out of their series. The plotting of coincidence and passive events between characters contributing to the larger narrative is handled better in this Chinese web novel than I've seen in most western work. Though the author reiterates details of the world frequently, it helps to build a sprawling magic system in a world that's so unique I truly wonder how deep the planning goes. The interaction between characters and how they lean on each other for their development is presented in such a pleasant way. You really feel each of these characters as a completed person; I've yet to find any two that have felt jarringly similar.
So much more to say about Lord of the Mysteries but I won’t spoil it in my review. The first 100 chapters are a roller coaster of worldbuilding and magic system development. I was gun-shy about the frequent reiteration at first, but I came to enjoy it as the exposition was layered against an event or personal growth for Klein. Someone in a previous thread said that it’s there because the actions themselves happen so fast. Without an explanation of function, the act itself is grand and concise.
Great book. The combination of charms, techniques and spells was extremely well done. Gladly picking up the rest of the series. Looking forward to going back to it after I finish the rest of this 20-book challenge. Thanks to the anon that recommended it to me in a thread some time ago.
October 18, 2020
Superb Sci-fi, Steam-Punk Fantasy, it’s got it all. The book is full of mystery, intrigue, magic and action, it’s got excellent plotting and pacing as well as characterization.
It is surprising that such an epic work is made as a web novel, it stands among my favourite books and the way the author goes about in developing a unique and well-defined magic system and the detailed world-building, along with fight sequences reminded me of my favourite author in this genre, Brandon Sanderson.
Adding to it all is the remarkable and fun protagonist with his ever-changing disguise of different characters. This style really works wonders in multi-book series, especially when you are binge-reading like me, the change of character keeps the reading experience fresh.
I do have one complaint that I felt the ending was abrupt, it could be more detailed but maybe it was for the best as I had started getting muddled by the end. Still, I do hope for other stories from the same universe.
It is surprising that such an epic work is made as a web novel, it stands among my favourite books and the way the author goes about in developing a unique and well-defined magic system and the detailed world-building, along with fight sequences reminded me of my favourite author in this genre, Brandon Sanderson.
Adding to it all is the remarkable and fun protagonist with his ever-changing disguise of different characters. This style really works wonders in multi-book series, especially when you are binge-reading like me, the change of character keeps the reading experience fresh.
I do have one complaint that I felt the ending was abrupt, it could be more detailed but maybe it was for the best as I had started getting muddled by the end. Still, I do hope for other stories from the same universe.
May 24, 2021
Review 2: Got to chapter 500/~1400
I paused because the storytelling is too slow, and there was a "life reset moment".
This is a well written novel that combines xianxia with mystery and some overarching plot. The novel is written with tons of extra exposition and details, with half of it seeming like a slice of life. Where I stopped the mc had just reset his life and taken on a new identity. Because the book is so dense, it is a slog to read because you need to spend time and effort to imagine and memorize each of the happenings, lest they be relevant later on in the book. After losing most of the familiar characters and locations, I found the book too taxing to read given that I wasn't invested in the new alias. I read books to relax, not to immerse myself in someone else's waking moments.
-------------------------------------------------
Review 1:
Unrated.
I read so little of this, 0010/1450 chapters, that I am not qualified to rate this.
I stopped this because the story forced me to hold too many disjoint facts in my head at the same time. Some stories follow a linear progression of information, where everything is relevant to the main characters in some way, and even the world building comes in the context around the main character and the people+things that they interact with. This book does not do that.
Instead, this book gives you a ton of history facts and 3 different characters to follow right out the gate. Because the history facts are either poorly contextualized, or given in the context of empires that I'm not yet invested in, I cannot care about any of the world building and backstory that is introduced.
However, I know that all this will be relevant to the plot, since this is a book about historical mysteries.
This contradiction of hearing disjoint nonsense that I can't internalize quickly enough but needing to remember every last bit of it makes me feel like I should get out a notebook to try to keep this story straight or something.
I have nothing against this book. I don't know whether it is good or bad.
All I know is that the current me, who is burnt out from excessive reading and schoolwork, cannot stomach this novel. Maybe I'll return over the summer.
I paused because the storytelling is too slow, and there was a "life reset moment".
This is a well written novel that combines xianxia with mystery and some overarching plot. The novel is written with tons of extra exposition and details, with half of it seeming like a slice of life. Where I stopped the mc had just reset his life and taken on a new identity. Because the book is so dense, it is a slog to read because you need to spend time and effort to imagine and memorize each of the happenings, lest they be relevant later on in the book. After losing most of the familiar characters and locations, I found the book too taxing to read given that I wasn't invested in the new alias. I read books to relax, not to immerse myself in someone else's waking moments.
-------------------------------------------------
Review 1:
Unrated.
I read so little of this, 0010/1450 chapters, that I am not qualified to rate this.
I stopped this because the story forced me to hold too many disjoint facts in my head at the same time. Some stories follow a linear progression of information, where everything is relevant to the main characters in some way, and even the world building comes in the context around the main character and the people+things that they interact with. This book does not do that.
Instead, this book gives you a ton of history facts and 3 different characters to follow right out the gate. Because the history facts are either poorly contextualized, or given in the context of empires that I'm not yet invested in, I cannot care about any of the world building and backstory that is introduced.
However, I know that all this will be relevant to the plot, since this is a book about historical mysteries.
This contradiction of hearing disjoint nonsense that I can't internalize quickly enough but needing to remember every last bit of it makes me feel like I should get out a notebook to try to keep this story straight or something.
I have nothing against this book. I don't know whether it is good or bad.
All I know is that the current me, who is burnt out from excessive reading and schoolwork, cannot stomach this novel. Maybe I'll return over the summer.
May 16, 2021
SCP Foundation, progression fantasy, and steampunk? Sign me right up.
The first 10-15 chapters were a bit slow as the world was being established, but somewhere around chapter 17 I blinked and then it was chapter 27. I blinked again and now it's chapter one hundred something. And then...
--------
The story picked up quickly and now it feels like I have a first class ticket on a speeding train. I don't know where it's going, but I trust the conductor to get me to the destination safely without letting the train derail because of plot holes. Also, this train is going damn fast. I love how fights are quickly finished one way or the other and I don't have to read about the participants reaching deep into some sort of hidden power and powering up during the fight across multiple chapters. Each chapter introduces something new and interesting to the reader and I don't feel like the author added filler.
The world itself is exciting. For a book that deals with secrets and things that seem out of the ordinary, I would have thought that the author would have separated the real world from this extraordinary world and wouldn't have the two come in contact with each other much. That is true to an extent, but not completely, and this merging of both worlds and showing the implications of things happening in one world in the other works so well. I really feel like I'm living through a fully realized world.
As I mentioned, the pace is great and a lot of things happen quickly, but that doesn't mean that the author doesn't take time to develop interpersonal character relationships and make jokes. The author is really on point with blending new developments in the story sense with new developments between the characters.
Finally, the author does a great job of introducing things early on and foreshadowing certain things so that when sudden developments occur, they don't feel like the author suddenly threw something into the story from left field. The author does a great job of introducing so many people, events, ideas, and principles into this story that each new thing we learn, even if unexpected, feels like it makes sense and has a basis in things we've already learned so far. I love it!
The first 10-15 chapters were a bit slow as the world was being established, but somewhere around chapter 17 I blinked and then it was chapter 27. I blinked again and now it's chapter one hundred something. And then...
--------
The story picked up quickly and now it feels like I have a first class ticket on a speeding train. I don't know where it's going, but I trust the conductor to get me to the destination safely without letting the train derail because of plot holes. Also, this train is going damn fast. I love how fights are quickly finished one way or the other and I don't have to read about the participants reaching deep into some sort of hidden power and powering up during the fight across multiple chapters. Each chapter introduces something new and interesting to the reader and I don't feel like the author added filler.
The world itself is exciting. For a book that deals with secrets and things that seem out of the ordinary, I would have thought that the author would have separated the real world from this extraordinary world and wouldn't have the two come in contact with each other much. That is true to an extent, but not completely, and this merging of both worlds and showing the implications of things happening in one world in the other works so well. I really feel like I'm living through a fully realized world.
As I mentioned, the pace is great and a lot of things happen quickly, but that doesn't mean that the author doesn't take time to develop interpersonal character relationships and make jokes. The author is really on point with blending new developments in the story sense with new developments between the characters.
Finally, the author does a great job of introducing things early on and foreshadowing certain things so that when sudden developments occur, they don't feel like the author suddenly threw something into the story from left field. The author does a great job of introducing so many people, events, ideas, and principles into this story that each new thing we learn, even if unexpected, feels like it makes sense and has a basis in things we've already learned so far. I love it!
January 26, 2021
LOM will definitely be added to my all-time-favorite list. The rich world build and well-developed characters, and greatly planned mysteries with slow reveal made this book shine. The whole 8 volume adds up to be the first book of the trilogy, and the second book is planned to come out in 2022. The world is a little dark and has SCP and Lovecraftian influence. It is translated from Chinese, so don't expect great representation. As with all Chinese authors, he went through some censor; but worry not, there is no shit on LGBT.
The first volume was the slowest, but it also gave me the most chills because I was caught off guard. You need to be patient in the first book and believe in the author to make great use of the world later on. You have to note that our MC and lead characters do not have any romance arc. It might be a deal-breaker for you, but I appreciated how each character existed with their own stories and arcs. AKA I find it boring when characters exist only to show how great our MC is, or fall into boring tropes just for romance story sake, so I am glad that LOM avoided this
Klein is a great character. He is smart, meticulous, thoughtful, and funny. He values people and knows how to rely on othersespecially in the beginning . He learns and grows up. He grew up most strength-wise, but Little Sun and Miss Justice had more growth on the personality and maturity and height side. Klein is also one of the most relatable MC. His emotions were authentic and reasonable. Once you finish the first book, you will also understand the trauma of coincidences and reasonable development.
Aside from the journey of our characters, Cuttlefish also included topics of air pollution, the wage gap, struggles of the poor, war-stricken country, and gender equality, etc. You get the POV of many great characters and experience the after-effects of large events through other eyes as well.
Overall, it is a book definitely worth a try. Your patience will pay off well
The first volume was the slowest, but it also gave me the most chills because I was caught off guard. You need to be patient in the first book and believe in the author to make great use of the world later on. You have to note that our MC and lead characters do not have any romance arc. It might be a deal-breaker for you, but I appreciated how each character existed with their own stories and arcs. AKA I find it boring when characters exist only to show how great our MC is, or fall into boring tropes just for romance story sake, so I am glad that LOM avoided this
Klein is a great character. He is smart, meticulous, thoughtful, and funny. He values people and knows how to rely on others
Aside from the journey of our characters, Cuttlefish also included topics of air pollution, the wage gap, struggles of the poor, war-stricken country, and gender equality, etc. You get the POV of many great characters and experience the after-effects of large events through other eyes as well.
Overall, it is a book definitely worth a try. Your patience will pay off well
August 15, 2022
4.5 ! objectively should be a 4, but it gets +.5 for the emotional attachment I have
REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE ENG-TRANSLATED WEB NOVEL
If you're just looking to see if you're the target person for this novel;
1. Do you like progressive fantasy?
2. Do you like lovecraftian, eldritch and supernatural horror?
3. Do you want to read something that starts off with slice of life and gradually gets heavier?
4. Do you like stories in which the concept and setting changes with every arc?
5. Do you prefer extensive worldbuilding and history over anything else?
6. Do you like power systems with a unique and clear set of rules and fundamentals?
7. Does the concept of "Great power is not without a price" intrigue you?
8. Do you like stories with a lot of characters?
9. Do you like characters that are heavily intelligent?
10. Are you ok with character development taking place late in the story?
If you answered yes to most of these, then you should give it a try! Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it, but feel free to try it out either way.
*-*
TL;DR
An outstandingly creative web novel that focuses on mystery and history with plenty of noticeable references to classics, other books, Gods and real-life happenings. While there are quite a bit of flaws, most of them come from the writing itself, and I do wholeheartedly recommend people to give it a try. Charming characters, excellent power system, and an overall entertaining read.
*-*
Writing & Story
The concept itself is not that unique, but the charm of Lord of Mysteries comes from it's setting and mystery. It's a story in which the readers are being brought along the main character as he progresses and learns more about the history of the current world – all while learning for a way to return home.
It presents itself like a generic transmigration novel; Starting off with a man named Zhou Mingrui waking up in an unfamiliar world. At the moment of waking up, he asks himself why and how he transmigrated as he looks for a way to return, and the readers are introduced to a compelling mystery within the first few chapters.
It's a long novel, equivalent to a whole book series, which means that each of the flaw is an element that you have to endure for a long time.
The Cons:
Unnecessary Narration
Lord of Mysteries is very slow on it's reveals and suffers a lot from infodumps and needless exposition that could be cut down to be a lot shorter. Early on the story, there are a lot of chapters dedicated for expounding the political figures, currency, and the state of living of the protagonist - which I feel is pointless since the story doesn't center around these topics. The given information from the earlier chapters do not make sense and seem like excessive filler that is written for the sake of appearing to be detailed, but the significance of these crumbs of lore are revealed later on. This requires a lot of patience, and it may be hard to get through the first 20 chapters especially if you prefer something to get to the point.
Stiff Writing?
I'm not too sure how to word it - but it's not about the writing itself, rather, the prose or the style. Due to the fact that translating from another language to English will never end up being perfect, a large amount of sentences have a bit of a disruptive flow.
Odd Pacing
Lord of Mysteries pacing fluctuates from draggingly slow to excessively fast. The start of the novel gave plenty of inessential information, the middle was just the right amount, but the ending's development felt rushed. A large deal of characters and possible plotlines that were given a high amount of spotlight were simply wasted due to the horrible pacing of the last volume.
The Pros:
Presentation
I normally don't like steampunk mixed with dark fantasy and lovecraftian horror, so I was pleasantly surprised at how this novel exceeded my expectations at the quality of the story from mixing multiple genres.
Lord of Mysteries is a near-perfect mix of suspense and horror, with mystery being a core genre of the story. It doesn't focus on the scares, but rather, the weird, monster-like aspects and the excitement that comes from the unknown. It's top-tier among other web novels when it comes to the presentation of the plot, and I love how it mixes comedy and anguish into the storyline. There is little to no filler throughout the whole novel and the lighthearted parts are meant to be significant in the future chapters. It's the type of novel that isn't that sad as you read through it, but the more you think about certain scenes, the sadder it becomes.
Creativity
Self-explanatory! You'll understand what I mean when I say that you can see how much the author researched and reworked history to fit into a fictional world. It's extremely well-thought of and the plot is nothing to scoff at either.
Characters & Setting
Characters
The story puts a big amount of spotlight to its worldbuilding, which takes away the details and progress of characters. The development exists, and is done in a subtle way, but they still feel as though they aren't given as much attention as the history and the world. The amount of chapters weren't enough to flesh them out, as we are only shown the shallow and external personality of the characters outside of the tarot club. Furthermore, there were many characters that were given a lot of potential but were utterly wasted.
That being said, the characters are still a vital part as to what makes this novel great. They are a big pro as they are a con.
There are many interesting side characters with their own set of dynamics between each of them, their own thought processes, their own moral compass, and their own motives. Furthermore, I enjoy how no one is completely good; and it's more like the characters are making their decisions based on what they think will allow for a better outcome.
Setting
Saving the best for last, the greatest part of this novel is definitely the worldbuilding and it's magnificent use of horror, Gods and occults. It's extremely creative that it's enough to compensate for every flaw that I've mentioned. The history makes up a big chunk of the story, and it contributes a lot to the suspense, the sense of dread and sense of mystery that the readers feel. The reader is left in the dark about the truth of multiple historical segments, but they all connect and click like a jigsaw puzzle the more you read through.
REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE ENG-TRANSLATED WEB NOVEL
If you're just looking to see if you're the target person for this novel;
1. Do you like progressive fantasy?
2. Do you like lovecraftian, eldritch and supernatural horror?
3. Do you want to read something that starts off with slice of life and gradually gets heavier?
4. Do you like stories in which the concept and setting changes with every arc?
5. Do you prefer extensive worldbuilding and history over anything else?
6. Do you like power systems with a unique and clear set of rules and fundamentals?
7. Does the concept of "Great power is not without a price" intrigue you?
8. Do you like stories with a lot of characters?
9. Do you like characters that are heavily intelligent?
10. Are you ok with character development taking place late in the story?
If you answered yes to most of these, then you should give it a try! Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it, but feel free to try it out either way.
*-*
TL;DR
An outstandingly creative web novel that focuses on mystery and history with plenty of noticeable references to classics, other books, Gods and real-life happenings. While there are quite a bit of flaws, most of them come from the writing itself, and I do wholeheartedly recommend people to give it a try. Charming characters, excellent power system, and an overall entertaining read.
*-*
Writing & Story
The concept itself is not that unique, but the charm of Lord of Mysteries comes from it's setting and mystery. It's a story in which the readers are being brought along the main character as he progresses and learns more about the history of the current world – all while learning for a way to return home.
It presents itself like a generic transmigration novel; Starting off with a man named Zhou Mingrui waking up in an unfamiliar world. At the moment of waking up, he asks himself why and how he transmigrated as he looks for a way to return, and the readers are introduced to a compelling mystery within the first few chapters.
It's a long novel, equivalent to a whole book series, which means that each of the flaw is an element that you have to endure for a long time.
The Cons:
Unnecessary Narration
Lord of Mysteries is very slow on it's reveals and suffers a lot from infodumps and needless exposition that could be cut down to be a lot shorter. Early on the story, there are a lot of chapters dedicated for expounding the political figures, currency, and the state of living of the protagonist - which I feel is pointless since the story doesn't center around these topics. The given information from the earlier chapters do not make sense and seem like excessive filler that is written for the sake of appearing to be detailed, but the significance of these crumbs of lore are revealed later on. This requires a lot of patience, and it may be hard to get through the first 20 chapters especially if you prefer something to get to the point.
Stiff Writing?
I'm not too sure how to word it - but it's not about the writing itself, rather, the prose or the style. Due to the fact that translating from another language to English will never end up being perfect, a large amount of sentences have a bit of a disruptive flow.
Odd Pacing
Lord of Mysteries pacing fluctuates from draggingly slow to excessively fast. The start of the novel gave plenty of inessential information, the middle was just the right amount, but the ending's development felt rushed. A large deal of characters and possible plotlines that were given a high amount of spotlight were simply wasted due to the horrible pacing of the last volume.
The Pros:
Presentation
I normally don't like steampunk mixed with dark fantasy and lovecraftian horror, so I was pleasantly surprised at how this novel exceeded my expectations at the quality of the story from mixing multiple genres.
Lord of Mysteries is a near-perfect mix of suspense and horror, with mystery being a core genre of the story. It doesn't focus on the scares, but rather, the weird, monster-like aspects and the excitement that comes from the unknown. It's top-tier among other web novels when it comes to the presentation of the plot, and I love how it mixes comedy and anguish into the storyline. There is little to no filler throughout the whole novel and the lighthearted parts are meant to be significant in the future chapters. It's the type of novel that isn't that sad as you read through it, but the more you think about certain scenes, the sadder it becomes.
Creativity
Self-explanatory! You'll understand what I mean when I say that you can see how much the author researched and reworked history to fit into a fictional world. It's extremely well-thought of and the plot is nothing to scoff at either.
Characters & Setting
Characters
The story puts a big amount of spotlight to its worldbuilding, which takes away the details and progress of characters. The development exists, and is done in a subtle way, but they still feel as though they aren't given as much attention as the history and the world. The amount of chapters weren't enough to flesh them out, as we are only shown the shallow and external personality of the characters outside of the tarot club. Furthermore, there were many characters that were given a lot of potential but were utterly wasted.
That being said, the characters are still a vital part as to what makes this novel great. They are a big pro as they are a con.
There are many interesting side characters with their own set of dynamics between each of them, their own thought processes, their own moral compass, and their own motives. Furthermore, I enjoy how no one is completely good; and it's more like the characters are making their decisions based on what they think will allow for a better outcome.
Setting
Saving the best for last, the greatest part of this novel is definitely the worldbuilding and it's magnificent use of horror, Gods and occults. It's extremely creative that it's enough to compensate for every flaw that I've mentioned. The history makes up a big chunk of the story, and it contributes a lot to the suspense, the sense of dread and sense of mystery that the readers feel. The reader is left in the dark about the truth of multiple historical segments, but they all connect and click like a jigsaw puzzle the more you read through.
June 25, 2025
.𖥔 ݁ ˖.˖ ᯓ Date Read: August 6 to September 8, 2023
.𖥔 ݁ ˖.˖ ᯓ Reviews:
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 1: Clown - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 2: Faceless - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 3: Traveler - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 4: Undying - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 5: Red Priest - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 6: Lightseeker - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 7: The Hanged Man - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 8: Fool - ★★★★★
.𖥔 ݁ ˖.˖ ᯓ ☁ ༄:
LOTM finally having the recognition it deserves. I miss Klein, and everyone. And finally, the donghua is getting released! I say read LOTM for peak, it's brilliant. All throughout those 8 volumes that consists of 1430 chapters, it never dropped in quality, and it will consistently blow your mind. Praise the Fool!
.𖥔 ݁ ˖.˖ ᯓ Reviews:
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 1: Clown - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 2: Faceless - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 3: Traveler - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 4: Undying - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 5: Red Priest - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 6: Lightseeker - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 7: The Hanged Man - ★★★★★
⁀➴₊⊹ Volume 8: Fool - ★★★★★
.𖥔 ݁ ˖.˖ ᯓ ☁ ༄:
LOTM finally having the recognition it deserves. I miss Klein, and everyone. And finally, the donghua is getting released! I say read LOTM for peak, it's brilliant. All throughout those 8 volumes that consists of 1430 chapters, it never dropped in quality, and it will consistently blow your mind. Praise the Fool!
August 26, 2024
4.5 ✨
2 YEARS LATER AND I FINALLY FINISHED IT. (I procrastinated a lot)
Rtc because there’s no way i can sum up all of my thoughts in just a couple of sentences
2 YEARS LATER AND I FINALLY FINISHED IT. (I procrastinated a lot)
Rtc because there’s no way i can sum up all of my thoughts in just a couple of sentences
November 22, 2022
I don't think there are quite the words to describe my feelings of euphoria, bafflement and pure emptiness that I felt during, and after completing this novel. Nor did I think it was possible for my lacking attention span that gets distracted within 50 chapters of a novel to sit through, thoroughly engrossed, of a novel with over 1000 chapters.
Lord of Mysteries in a new reality placed on paper, with vivid sights and conflicts, with people with very real lives that are both terrible and tragic, or filled with riches and ideals.
How does one combine steampunk, victorian era, scp, occulet, lovecraft into one story and make it work???
The world building is down to the core, to the depth. You learn about the cultures, the religions, the habits of both the wealthy and the poor, of the life of those struggling every day and those flourishing. Of desi-pie, a delicacy, and more.
Did I think I would make it to the end? Absolutely not. And here I am, eagerly anticipating the second novel in the trilogy that may take up almost another month of time. Maybe I've been influenced by the fanatical craziness of this story, or maybe it's left that deep of an impression. Maybe both.
It's near impossible to describe the sensation of watching somebody, a human just like you or I, descend into madness and ascend into godhood, struggling to retain his humanity as he becomes an existence he once knew nothing of.
[We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wrenches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness.]
The price of power, and the war of gods that slowly draw regular humans into their battles, ending thousands of lives. Of injustice of the poor and the weak, of those who could do nothing but perish on the backstreets as an unknown name, a forgotten figure.
The strong who sought to become stronger, even as they fell into a deep madness that consumed them, ending the lives of the saviours who may have fought to save their family.
Klein Moretti, the main character, who was also Sherlock Moriarty, Gehrman Sparrow, Dwayne Dantes and Merlin Hermes. Most importantly, he was Zhou Mingrui and the Fool.
A regular man who wore the mask of a clown, wearing a ridiculous, silly, exaggerate and happy smile.
[Become anyone, but ultimately become yourself in the end.]
And then there was the tarot club, full of incredible and wonderful characters that gradually developed through the book and turned from regular beyonders or humans, into demi-gods that could threaten an entire city.
The ones that especially left an impression would be the Justice, Audrey, who began as a sheltered noble that eventually became a pillar of support, opening her eyes to the darkness of reality and seeking out ways to help others, at the risk of her own life.
Then, the Star, Leonard, a selfish and lazy poet who often moved to the beat of his own drum, but had a loyalty to his comrades that was fathomless, making them his sole reason to keep living and moving forward.
The Sun, Derrick, who begun as a naive and innocent youth suffering unimaginable terrors in a world of permanent darkness, and eventually becoming a beacon of light that led his city to the bright blue skies.
Of course, there are way too many characters for me to give a description of them all that I do genuinely adore. Bernadette's family love, Anderson's sly and insulting tongue, Alger's desire for power, Frank's strange experiments, Azik's knowledgeable help, Reinette's nicknames, and so much more.
And the World, Gehrman Sparrow, who was seen by the world as cold and calculating and mad, when he was in fact a regular man that shouldered the world's fate on his shoulders while caring deeply for his friends.
And all of those who were a fingertip's graze away from salvation.
[Don't save me... Don't save me....]
[I have never betrayed the City of Silver...]
[Go. open that door. I want to see what the sunlight outside is like...]
[The Tarot Club lost its first official member.]
Klein Moretti, I eagerly await your awakening from your deep slumber, and pray for your success against the Lord of Mysteries.
[From the beginning, you've been a guardian. You mimicked others until you were mimicked by others.]
Lord of Mysteries in a new reality placed on paper, with vivid sights and conflicts, with people with very real lives that are both terrible and tragic, or filled with riches and ideals.
How does one combine steampunk, victorian era, scp, occulet, lovecraft into one story and make it work???
The world building is down to the core, to the depth. You learn about the cultures, the religions, the habits of both the wealthy and the poor, of the life of those struggling every day and those flourishing. Of desi-pie, a delicacy, and more.
Did I think I would make it to the end? Absolutely not. And here I am, eagerly anticipating the second novel in the trilogy that may take up almost another month of time. Maybe I've been influenced by the fanatical craziness of this story, or maybe it's left that deep of an impression. Maybe both.
It's near impossible to describe the sensation of watching somebody, a human just like you or I, descend into madness and ascend into godhood, struggling to retain his humanity as he becomes an existence he once knew nothing of.
[We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wrenches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness.]
The price of power, and the war of gods that slowly draw regular humans into their battles, ending thousands of lives. Of injustice of the poor and the weak, of those who could do nothing but perish on the backstreets as an unknown name, a forgotten figure.
The strong who sought to become stronger, even as they fell into a deep madness that consumed them, ending the lives of the saviours who may have fought to save their family.
Klein Moretti, the main character, who was also Sherlock Moriarty, Gehrman Sparrow, Dwayne Dantes and Merlin Hermes. Most importantly, he was Zhou Mingrui and the Fool.
A regular man who wore the mask of a clown, wearing a ridiculous, silly, exaggerate and happy smile.
[Become anyone, but ultimately become yourself in the end.]
And then there was the tarot club, full of incredible and wonderful characters that gradually developed through the book and turned from regular beyonders or humans, into demi-gods that could threaten an entire city.
The ones that especially left an impression would be the Justice, Audrey, who began as a sheltered noble that eventually became a pillar of support, opening her eyes to the darkness of reality and seeking out ways to help others, at the risk of her own life.
Then, the Star, Leonard, a selfish and lazy poet who often moved to the beat of his own drum, but had a loyalty to his comrades that was fathomless, making them his sole reason to keep living and moving forward.
The Sun, Derrick, who begun as a naive and innocent youth suffering unimaginable terrors in a world of permanent darkness, and eventually becoming a beacon of light that led his city to the bright blue skies.
Of course, there are way too many characters for me to give a description of them all that I do genuinely adore. Bernadette's family love, Anderson's sly and insulting tongue, Alger's desire for power, Frank's strange experiments, Azik's knowledgeable help, Reinette's nicknames, and so much more.
And the World, Gehrman Sparrow, who was seen by the world as cold and calculating and mad, when he was in fact a regular man that shouldered the world's fate on his shoulders while caring deeply for his friends.
And all of those who were a fingertip's graze away from salvation.
[Don't save me... Don't save me....]
[I have never betrayed the City of Silver...]
[Go. open that door. I want to see what the sunlight outside is like...]
[The Tarot Club lost its first official member.]
Klein Moretti, I eagerly await your awakening from your deep slumber, and pray for your success against the Lord of Mysteries.
[From the beginning, you've been a guardian. You mimicked others until you were mimicked by others.]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2022
【https://www.webnovel.com/book/lord-of...】
Praise the goddess of the moon, praise the fool. Walking in the(? lavatory(? is like walking in your holy(? paradise (? (Ignore this part, this is supposed to be a joke, but—)
Audrey Hall, Backlund's most dazzling pearl—
-https://lordofthemysteries.fandom.com...
-https://weibo.com/7344384861/KiTRv7Mxo
【Ahem......
This is probably one of the best fantasy novels in the world, do not even try to argue with me (Just kidding, the best book doesn't exist, all books are good.) The author spent months researching what he was writing before he wrote this book. (The book is set in the Victorian era) He successfully combined Steampunk, Cthulhu, SCP, tarot into one world setting without incongruity. Writing these elements well is already difficult in itself, and adding them together is even more difficult. The author not only wrote very well but also made the book immersive......10,0000 words omitted here.....
My English is not good enough to describe how gorgeous this book is, but, appreciate this masterpiece, please —
胡言乱语了一堆，说点正经的。写好这些元素本身就很难，加在一起更是难上加难。但是乌贼做到了，他不光写好了，还写的让人身临其境，实属难得。一本书写出人间悲欢离合，谢谢神仙下凡。(This is the serious part, don't use translators, the true meaning of this cannot be translated. )
赞美女神，赞美愚者，赞美二五仔之主，行走在盥洗室就像行走在您的神国。（咳咳
最后，乌贼永远的神！！！克莱恩冲呀！！！！
Character Design 2d Art:
1. https://weibo.com/7344384861/KiTvPxGmN
2. https://weibo.com/7344384861/K4BfB1Kte
3. https://weibo.com/7344384861/JA6bqnRss
4. https://weibo.com/7344384861/KdpE36DKw
I wrote some random words, but this is a serious book review. (This...... is a serious book review......right?
Praise the goddess of the moon, praise the fool. Walking in the(? lavatory(? is like walking in your holy(? paradise (? (Ignore this part, this is supposed to be a joke, but—)
Audrey Hall, Backlund's most dazzling pearl—
-https://lordofthemysteries.fandom.com...
-https://weibo.com/7344384861/KiTRv7Mxo
【Ahem......
This is probably one of the best fantasy novels in the world, do not even try to argue with me (Just kidding, the best book doesn't exist, all books are good.) The author spent months researching what he was writing before he wrote this book. (The book is set in the Victorian era) He successfully combined Steampunk, Cthulhu, SCP, tarot into one world setting without incongruity. Writing these elements well is already difficult in itself, and adding them together is even more difficult. The author not only wrote very well but also made the book immersive......10,0000 words omitted here.....
My English is not good enough to describe how gorgeous this book is, but, appreciate this masterpiece, please —
胡言乱语了一堆，说点正经的。写好这些元素本身就很难，加在一起更是难上加难。但是乌贼做到了，他不光写好了，还写的让人身临其境，实属难得。一本书写出人间悲欢离合，谢谢神仙下凡。(This is the serious part, don't use translators, the true meaning of this cannot be translated. )
赞美女神，赞美愚者，赞美二五仔之主，行走在盥洗室就像行走在您的神国。（咳咳
最后，乌贼永远的神！！！克莱恩冲呀！！！！
Character Design 2d Art:
1. https://weibo.com/7344384861/KiTvPxGmN
2. https://weibo.com/7344384861/K4BfB1Kte
3. https://weibo.com/7344384861/JA6bqnRss
4. https://weibo.com/7344384861/KdpE36DKw
I wrote some random words, but this is a serious book review. (This...... is a serious book review......right?
January 26, 2020
This is one of the best novel I have ever read. I like this so much.
August 18, 2021
It was one of those translations that almost, but not quite, made sense. I got bored of not really knowing what was going on.
May 9, 2022
I did not enjoy and would not recommend this book. This was my first attempt to read a webnovel translated from Chinese. I didn't have very high hopes, but I was still disappointed.
Structurally, this story was a mess. It does something that English language web serials also do, which is to dip into another genre for a few dozen chapters. When the author attempted to do that with horror, that worked reasonably well. The post-apocalyptic survivalist portion was alright. When he tried to do it with mystery, it was unsatisfying. When he got into a pirate story, I was put off. Every other section which aimed at a genre other than Fantasy was mediocre to me.
Structurally, this story was a mess. It does something that English language web serials also do, which is to dip into another genre for a few dozen chapters. When the author attempted to do that with horror, that worked reasonably well. The post-apocalyptic survivalist portion was alright. When he tried to do it with mystery, it was unsatisfying. When he got into a pirate story, I was put off. Every other section which aimed at a genre other than Fantasy was mediocre to me.
April 21, 2020
It's a really good read.
the bad
It's not great character-wise(flaws mostly, the main character seems to make the most optimal choice every single time, I respect that, but it's kind of unrealistic and breaks the immersion).
The good
But the setting is extremely well thought out and the plot is really, really interesting.
I've really enjoyed it throughout and would totally recommend reading it.
Seriously more people need to read this. I've already caught up to the latest release of the web novel.
the bad
It's not great character-wise(flaws mostly, the main character seems to make the most optimal choice every single time, I respect that, but it's kind of unrealistic and breaks the immersion).
The good
But the setting is extremely well thought out and the plot is really, really interesting.
I've really enjoyed it throughout and would totally recommend reading it.
Seriously more people need to read this. I've already caught up to the latest release of the web novel.
June 28, 2024
Can I give 6 stars?
This is probably, by far, THE BEST Chinese web novel I've ever read! I was browsing a list on Novelupdates about what Chinese readers considers the best (Chinese) light novels or web novels out there, and LOTM was the first in the list. It deserves the honor. It doesn't have any CP (no romance for the MC) which can be considered a strength because it's not hindered by an annoyingly arrogant, typically handsome OP male lead with a massive harem (I'm unapologetically a hater of all things harem in literature).
If you're intrigued by this summary/spoiler, I suggest you go to the Novelupdates English translation page which has the full (lengthy) list of pertinent tags and genres available.
In short, I enjoyed this novel way too much, and even though it's over 1300 chapters, I wished it was longer!
This author is fucking amazing! However, I've read reviews that his other works, including the sequel to this one, are not as good as LOTM. Sadly, maybe he spent so much creativity in this one that he couldn't make the others as rich and innovative.
This is probably, by far, THE BEST Chinese web novel I've ever read! I was browsing a list on Novelupdates about what Chinese readers considers the best (Chinese) light novels or web novels out there, and LOTM was the first in the list. It deserves the honor. It doesn't have any CP (no romance for the MC) which can be considered a strength because it's not hindered by an annoyingly arrogant, typically handsome OP male lead with a massive harem (I'm unapologetically a hater of all things harem in literature).
If you're intrigued by this summary/spoiler, I suggest you go to the Novelupdates English translation page which has the full (lengthy) list of pertinent tags and genres available.
In short, I enjoyed this novel way too much, and even though it's over 1300 chapters, I wished it was longer!
This author is fucking amazing! However, I've read reviews that his other works, including the sequel to this one, are not as good as LOTM. Sadly, maybe he spent so much creativity in this one that he couldn't make the others as rich and innovative.
May 1, 2023
This was one of the most mind-blowing novels I’ve ever read. I went into it with some expectations due to how people hyped it up. It was a slow start but once I got into the flow of the story, it was easier to read. I think the weakest point of the novel was the heavy exposition at times, but it is actually very worth it at the end. The world-building is insane and there are still a lot of things I’m barely understanding but I guess I grasped enough to finish the story. The main thing to note is that in this story the world has a lot more depth than the characters.
I didn’t realize that Lord of the Mysteries fell under the genre of Lovecraftian horror, and since this was my first experience with it, I was completely taken aback by many developments. The twists in this story are also crazy and I never expected them. I was actually shocked when some things were revealed. I didn’t think Klein would grow on me as much as he did but I guess that’s what happens when u read 1400+ chapters about a character. The Tarot members also grew on me but I have some members I greatly prefer over the others.
The translation I was reading got a little iffy somewhere in the middle but it became better near the end. And speaking of the ending. I’m still trying to comprehend everything. Yes, things went super fast but I actually enjoyed how fast-paced everything was. Everything finally culminated in those very sequential but impactful moments. I still have so many questions (like what will happen to Amon and Adam and the others from now on?) and I really want Klein to return soon. I usually hate starting “series” that are unfinished. But LOTM can stand on its own even without starting the second book. I’m probably gonna wait for the second book to finish coming out before I start. I still can’t believe that I read 1432 chapters, my longest translated novel to date. Never mind the fact that I’ve been reading this book for like 48 days straight.
Also, the "Modern Days" extras were a really nice breath of fresh air after the "sad" ending. I loved how chaotic and random it was. It was a great positive note to end the Lord of the Mysteries
I didn’t realize that Lord of the Mysteries fell under the genre of Lovecraftian horror, and since this was my first experience with it, I was completely taken aback by many developments. The twists in this story are also crazy and I never expected them. I was actually shocked when some things were revealed. I didn’t think Klein would grow on me as much as he did but I guess that’s what happens when u read 1400+ chapters about a character. The Tarot members also grew on me but I have some members I greatly prefer over the others.
The translation I was reading got a little iffy somewhere in the middle but it became better near the end. And speaking of the ending. I’m still trying to comprehend everything. Yes, things went super fast but I actually enjoyed how fast-paced everything was. Everything finally culminated in those very sequential but impactful moments. I still have so many questions (like what will happen to Amon and Adam and the others from now on?) and I really want Klein to return soon. I usually hate starting “series” that are unfinished. But LOTM can stand on its own even without starting the second book. I’m probably gonna wait for the second book to finish coming out before I start. I still can’t believe that I read 1432 chapters, my longest translated novel to date. Never mind the fact that I’ve been reading this book for like 48 days straight.
Also, the "Modern Days" extras were a really nice breath of fresh air after the "sad" ending. I loved how chaotic and random it was. It was a great positive note to end the Lord of the Mysteries
October 17, 2024
This book is one of the greatest piece of fiction I've ever read. I'm emotionally spent. I can't put it into words.
Starting from the world building, the lore to interpersonal relationship between the characters to plot points, everything is flawless. It starts slow and has such a huge word count but every second is worth it. Not a single sentence is wasted. The magic system is so unique and complex, it’s intertwined with religion, gods, deity, rituals spanning over thousands of years and has such a variety, it's unimaginable. The villains are intelligent and cunning and truly horrifying. The fight scenes are so complex and it’s always a battle of wits and not just individual strength or power level.
Cuttlefish is insane. I can't comprehend how he thought of this story from start to finish, having foreshadows from first volume and still having it be revealed at the sixth. It’s a book of mystery, you think you know and understand everything and then boom there's a new reveal and you have to think over your whole understanding. Building and dismantling history and making it feel like it's a child's play.
Klein as a protagonist is so enjoyable and relatable, you can't help but love him. He's so clever, witty, funny, sarcastic as well as so hardworking and compassionate and in times selfless, he's undoubtedly in top 5 of my all time favorite characters. I felt his sadness, loneliness and joys, felt so much sympathy for him, the trials he has to go through, the struggle to survive in a world that is so dangerous that even thinking the wrong thing can endanger you in an instant. I laughed out loud, felt horrified by some developments, felt chills down my back, had goosebumps all over from some plot twists. Every character, even the minor ones are fleshed out, they feel like real people with real life problems, hopes and dreams. Some characters leave such a deep impression on you even though they have a very little screentime.
I'm afraid I can't do this book justice with my haphazard review. All I can say is reading Lord of the mysteries is an experience of a lifetime. I will never get over this book.
Starting from the world building, the lore to interpersonal relationship between the characters to plot points, everything is flawless. It starts slow and has such a huge word count but every second is worth it. Not a single sentence is wasted. The magic system is so unique and complex, it’s intertwined with religion, gods, deity, rituals spanning over thousands of years and has such a variety, it's unimaginable. The villains are intelligent and cunning and truly horrifying. The fight scenes are so complex and it’s always a battle of wits and not just individual strength or power level.
Cuttlefish is insane. I can't comprehend how he thought of this story from start to finish, having foreshadows from first volume and still having it be revealed at the sixth. It’s a book of mystery, you think you know and understand everything and then boom there's a new reveal and you have to think over your whole understanding. Building and dismantling history and making it feel like it's a child's play.
Klein as a protagonist is so enjoyable and relatable, you can't help but love him. He's so clever, witty, funny, sarcastic as well as so hardworking and compassionate and in times selfless, he's undoubtedly in top 5 of my all time favorite characters. I felt his sadness, loneliness and joys, felt so much sympathy for him, the trials he has to go through, the struggle to survive in a world that is so dangerous that even thinking the wrong thing can endanger you in an instant. I laughed out loud, felt horrified by some developments, felt chills down my back, had goosebumps all over from some plot twists. Every character, even the minor ones are fleshed out, they feel like real people with real life problems, hopes and dreams. Some characters leave such a deep impression on you even though they have a very little screentime.
I'm afraid I can't do this book justice with my haphazard review. All I can say is reading Lord of the mysteries is an experience of a lifetime. I will never get over this book.
July 8, 2022
Isn't the best story in my opinion
Disclaimer: only read up to ch 560 before dropping
Good:
It attempted to create a thought out world with extensive lore( which was above average in quality)
It had a decent power system
Side characters had some depth to them
Bad:
MC is not interesting at all. With the MC changing identities and playing a different person for each volume, from what I read, it would be important to have a MC that is unique and captivating, Klein is not that type of MC. If Klein recieved less screen time and the writer spent more time with important side characters such as Alger or Audrey then I wouldn't mind Klein being bland, but the writer focuses too much on Klein, to the detriment of the story as the main appeal of this story is suppose to be the large and expanisve world with different moving parts.
Plot was a mess, in my opinion. I also believe that the story needed some better pacing especially for the first two volumes. This story had soo much potiential to do something great but failed spectacularly. Examples include: Too many 'secret' organizations appearing in a singular volume thus ruining their overall appeal, politics in the fictional world being half baked, in my opinion, and the very goal that the MC starts out with, that is returning to earth, is soo boring and basic.
Overall, the story is above average. Not bad but not as great as others describe it to be.
Disclaimer: only read up to ch 560 before dropping
Good:
It attempted to create a thought out world with extensive lore( which was above average in quality)
It had a decent power system
Side characters had some depth to them
Bad:
MC is not interesting at all. With the MC changing identities and playing a different person for each volume, from what I read, it would be important to have a MC that is unique and captivating, Klein is not that type of MC. If Klein recieved less screen time and the writer spent more time with important side characters such as Alger or Audrey then I wouldn't mind Klein being bland, but the writer focuses too much on Klein, to the detriment of the story as the main appeal of this story is suppose to be the large and expanisve world with different moving parts.
Plot was a mess, in my opinion. I also believe that the story needed some better pacing especially for the first two volumes. This story had soo much potiential to do something great but failed spectacularly. Examples include: Too many 'secret' organizations appearing in a singular volume thus ruining their overall appeal, politics in the fictional world being half baked, in my opinion, and the very goal that the MC starts out with, that is returning to earth, is soo boring and basic.
Overall, the story is above average. Not bad but not as great as others describe it to be.
May 14, 2020
用了两周/64小时终于读完。当时争分夺秒全情投入着读，现在读完之后就有些怅然若失。
整体还是很满意的，虽然有点嫌弃前期在正文里堆砌设定等表现，但后面的情节和人物塑造都表现出了不负盛名的水平。
对书里的女性角色也感到满意——尤其是居然真的到最后都没有正式的感情线。作为男性网文作者，能有这样的性别观念好难得啊。
感谢这本书，感谢作者构建的世界和“世界”，这个故事如此鲜活。有享受到。
整体还是很满意的，虽然有点嫌弃前期在正文里堆砌设定等表现，但后面的情节和人物塑造都表现出了不负盛名的水平。
对书里的女性角色也感到满意——尤其是居然真的到最后都没有正式的感情线。作为男性网文作者，能有这样的性别观念好难得啊。
感谢这本书，感谢作者构建的世界和“世界”，这个故事如此鲜活。有享受到。
September 10, 2023
man, lotm is so cool i wish pirates were real
May 1, 2022
Truyện của lão Mực đỉnh quá. Ôi rất lâu mới đọc được 1 tiểu thuyết đỉnh như này.
Ban đầu khi nghĩ về thế giới thì mình thấy khá kỳ cục, nhưng sau đó lại thấy cũng hợp lý.
Đoạn cuối tập 1 thật sự là xúc động. Chiều đó ngồi cf đọc mà buồn quá, về nhà vẫn buồn, ngồi ngẩn ngơ mất cả buổi.
Một trong những thứ tuyệt vời nhất của truyện là hệ thống sức mạnh mà tác giả tạo ra. Nó quá mức đỉnh cao, sáng tạo, mang đậm màu sắc huyền bí nhưng lại vô cùng hợp lý. Thật sự muốn chơi 1 game có hệ thống sức mạnh như này.
Ban đầu khi nghĩ về thế giới thì mình thấy khá kỳ cục, nhưng sau đó lại thấy cũng hợp lý.
Đoạn cuối tập 1 thật sự là xúc động. Chiều đó ngồi cf đọc mà buồn quá, về nhà vẫn buồn, ngồi ngẩn ngơ mất cả buổi.
Một trong những thứ tuyệt vời nhất của truyện là hệ thống sức mạnh mà tác giả tạo ra. Nó quá mức đỉnh cao, sáng tạo, mang đậm màu sắc huyền bí nhưng lại vô cùng hợp lý. Thật sự muốn chơi 1 game có hệ thống sức mạnh như này.
November 28, 2025
3.75★
What is Lord of the Mysteries?
This was a question I asked myself many months ago when I was introduced to this work, and whilst there are boxes it ticks, it's still rather hard to pin down. What I can say is that it's a transmigration webnovel, set in a Victorian world of steam, magic and mystery.
If you're not familiar with transmigration stories, it's very similar to the isekai stories that have become increasingly popular in the anime and manga scene, where the protagonist has been transported to another world, though my understanding is that transmigration stories have the protagonist take the place of an existing person in this new world.
As such, we follow our protagonist Zhou Mingrui, who has taken then place of Klein Moretti, following his apparent suicide. Zhou wants to find out what has happened, why, and how he grows in strength to try and find a way home.
You may well have seen a graph of the magic system this series uses, with it's many pathways and deities and whatnot. This is where my first issue arises. It's overcomplicated, more than is needed, especially at the tail-end of the series, and I feel gets in the way of the narrative and characters writing at times. If you want to start the series, try not to worry about the intricacies of the magic system, I don't think it really enhances the experience.
Speaking of writing, it's tough. I read this in English, and the prose is not great. I'm unsure how much of this is an issue of translation or if it's similar in it's native language. It definitely improves somewhat over the series, but even at the end I would hesitate to call it "good". It's good enough to get the story across, but it does read rather poorly for the most part. The fights in the last quarter of the series really suffer with how abstract and crazy they purport to be, but they become very difficult to follow due to the writing.
The pacing is, quite frankly, baffling. The series starts at a glacial pace, and only really starts to pick up at around volume 5 or 6. It makes those first few volumes dry and at times, boring. Character writing varies, Klein is fairly well fleshed out, though is a bit of blank slate, but the supporting cast don't get the same privilege, not to say they get no development or personality, but for the length of this work I wish there was more.
I did enjoy myself though, it's flawed, but the story is engaging, I just wish it were presented better. A good story, told poorly.
For clarity, below are my scores for each volume:
1: 3.5
2: 3.5
3: 3.5
4: 3.75
5: 3.5
6: 4
7: 4
8: 4.25
What is Lord of the Mysteries?
This was a question I asked myself many months ago when I was introduced to this work, and whilst there are boxes it ticks, it's still rather hard to pin down. What I can say is that it's a transmigration webnovel, set in a Victorian world of steam, magic and mystery.
If you're not familiar with transmigration stories, it's very similar to the isekai stories that have become increasingly popular in the anime and manga scene, where the protagonist has been transported to another world, though my understanding is that transmigration stories have the protagonist take the place of an existing person in this new world.
As such, we follow our protagonist Zhou Mingrui, who has taken then place of Klein Moretti, following his apparent suicide. Zhou wants to find out what has happened, why, and how he grows in strength to try and find a way home.
You may well have seen a graph of the magic system this series uses, with it's many pathways and deities and whatnot. This is where my first issue arises. It's overcomplicated, more than is needed, especially at the tail-end of the series, and I feel gets in the way of the narrative and characters writing at times. If you want to start the series, try not to worry about the intricacies of the magic system, I don't think it really enhances the experience.
Speaking of writing, it's tough. I read this in English, and the prose is not great. I'm unsure how much of this is an issue of translation or if it's similar in it's native language. It definitely improves somewhat over the series, but even at the end I would hesitate to call it "good". It's good enough to get the story across, but it does read rather poorly for the most part. The fights in the last quarter of the series really suffer with how abstract and crazy they purport to be, but they become very difficult to follow due to the writing.
The pacing is, quite frankly, baffling. The series starts at a glacial pace, and only really starts to pick up at around volume 5 or 6. It makes those first few volumes dry and at times, boring. Character writing varies, Klein is fairly well fleshed out, though is a bit of blank slate, but the supporting cast don't get the same privilege, not to say they get no development or personality, but for the length of this work I wish there was more.
I did enjoy myself though, it's flawed, but the story is engaging, I just wish it were presented better. A good story, told poorly.
For clarity, below are my scores for each volume:
1: 3.5
2: 3.5
3: 3.5
4: 3.75
5: 3.5
6: 4
7: 4
8: 4.25
November 21, 2024
I've finally finished all 8403 pages of Lord of the Mysteries.
Easily in my top 5 favorite books of all time.
It has its faults though. The first volume is pretty slow, and at some parts the translation and writing quality fall through.
It's strengths far outweigh that however. This book has potentially the best magic system and world building I've ever read with very interesting characters that keep you interested.
I won't spoil anything, but Klein Morreti is now one of my favorite fictional characters and has a very satisfying character arc even if it doesn't seem like he's changed all that much from the beginning.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in supernatural fantasy and complicated well thought out magic systems.
10/10
Easily in my top 5 favorite books of all time.
It has its faults though. The first volume is pretty slow, and at some parts the translation and writing quality fall through.
It's strengths far outweigh that however. This book has potentially the best magic system and world building I've ever read with very interesting characters that keep you interested.
I won't spoil anything, but Klein Morreti is now one of my favorite fictional characters and has a very satisfying character arc even if it doesn't seem like he's changed all that much from the beginning.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in supernatural fantasy and complicated well thought out magic systems.
10/10
August 17, 2021
Vol 1 is done and it really is phenomenal. Secret Societies and gothic horror. Recommended for fans of Trese
May 5, 2024
Exceptional with very minor and few flaws. The world building comes from the mind of a true talent
February 19, 2021
Never have i ever read a book so deep and filled with loveable characters, cities, and the one of the greatest magic systems I've ever seen, which is further upon improved through the ingenious usage the author applies.
August 6, 2024
:’’’’((
peak
peak
June 7, 2020
"Quỷ bí chi chủ" quyển 1, chủ yếu là giới thiệu nhân vật, hệ thống phép thuật,... Mình thích mấy truyện kiểu này, nam chính được buff mà không lố, không có trò đi năm bước lại ngủ với một cô, không có trò bối cảnh phương Tây mà nam chính cứ lôi văn hóa Trung/Nhật ra lòe người khiến người xung quanh cứ ô với a như nhiều truyện xuyên không/isekai. Muốn truyện được xuất bản ở VN ghê mà chắc khó...
Lúc mới đọc thì khá thích Leonard do nhìn qua thì cái tính cách "thi sĩ" của anh chàng khá hợp gu mình mà càng về sau càng thấy chàng ta làm màu quá thể chịu nổi =]] Tuy có đọc spoiler trên wiki nên biết sao cậu chàng thích hoang tưởng mình là The Chosen One đến thế nhưng vẫn thật là =]]
Lúc mới đọc thì khá thích Leonard do nhìn qua thì cái tính cách "thi sĩ" của anh chàng khá hợp gu mình mà càng về sau càng thấy chàng ta làm màu quá thể chịu nổi =]] Tuy có đọc spoiler trên wiki nên biết sao cậu chàng thích hoang tưởng mình là The Chosen One đến thế nhưng vẫn thật là =]]
November 7, 2022
I read the book in Chinese and browsed through parts of its English translation. The book engrossed me the first time I read it not only because of its eldritch setting redolent of Lovecraftian novellas, but also because of its precise and emotive language. Both qualities helped mask the sometimes dull transitional chapters. However, to me, the English translation fell short of reproducing the tone and style of the book in Chinese. Some of the sentences sounded stilted and verbose while others seemed to be sheer, direct translations.
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