Narrator

The narrator of Illuminatus! might be what TVTropes calls a "Lemony Narrator."

"A Narrator who tells the story from a third-person perspective, in an eccentric, bizarre, or otherwise unconventional style. This may involve expressing opinions about the story’s proceedings, going off on asides, breaking the Fourth Wall, Hanging Lampshades, deadpan-snarking, choosing to focus on unusual details or just describing things in an odd way. In the 19th century, this style of narration was so common as to be nearly ubiquitous; in the 21st century it’s no longer the default, but still shows up in quirkier works (and homages to 19th-century literature). In some cases, this trope reminds readers that the Narrator can be a character themselves, not just a perspective to read the story from. This character is not an active participant in the story. They are able to affect how the story is told, but not the story itself."