Private Eye [Detective Adventure Comedy]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Justice isn't blind… it has one eye and a wizard's hat.

Grugg was shocked to receive the invitation to investigate a murder mystery. Even more so when the invitee was a talking wizard's hat, now magically bound to his noggin’. Taking up his club, Thud, he would have to leave his mountain cave to seek answers in one of the worst places he knew - civilization.

The valley town of Helpart at the base of his mountain looked like any other from a distance. Having been chased out several years prior, after his first visit ended in a misunderstanding (and property damage), he had been content to keep them at arms length.

Now knee deep in conspiracy, he and his arcane companion find the town not such a quaint affair after all - as the criminal organisation Nightshade have their seedy roots well entrenched and running rings around the Town Guard. As the threads of the case unravel, the pair soon find there is an even greater threat right beneath their feet, hinting at a danger that even the mix of brains and brawn might not overcome.

With unlikely allies and nefarious shadows surrounding them, the truth is never clear… working as aPrivate Eye.

Book One now complete!

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: Kleggt

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 741
Views: 332,530

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

kanundraRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Opening.
I really don’t know what I was expecting coming into this story. But I was not disappointed in anyway.
Right from the get-go there’s character and laughs and it was just a really nice change of style, pacing and just plain ole fun. Highly recommended for something different, that holds your interest throughout and will leave you just wanting more and more.
Story.
It’s simple, Grugg and Thud have a cave and a nice life, and then he meets a wizard who it seems he kills, but we don’t see that, only the aftermath. Which is more than enough, and it just progresses from there with the wizard escaping death into his hat.
Style.
The style is super easy to read, the characters and dialogue really carry this in terms of banter, laughs and then the odd ‘getting to know you’ scenes, which bring us to the main story line, the brother that’s murdered. The quest to figure it all out. After getting the shiny thing off the Yeti king. There’s a perfect balance of descriptions here, and use of all senses, which means to me this author is very seasoned, or at the very least, an extreme reader who has come into this with amazing skill. It was a real pleasure to read, and very much a gem amongst the books here, I truly expect this to do well here, and on amazon and beyond, it would be an hilarious audiobook too, with the right narrator behind it. The sarcasm and banter between these two would just be awesome.
Grammar.
Extremely clean, the odd typo etc, but that’s nothing compared to some. The only odd thing I picked out was the punctuation outside the “ which is a much older style in my mind, and not really seen in any indie books I’ve ever come across and that’s a good 10k or more. The style there to keep it or not, is up to the author, but it is a choice they’ve made so far.
Characters.
You’ll just fall in love with these two, there’s nothing really else I can say, they bounce off each other, compliment everything about the story and it just works. There’s a couple of others t
Ben HowardRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style:
Dialogue is expertly crafted, with Grugg's stiff dialect and unfamiliarity with the wizard's language conveyed perfectly. All characters' voices are unique, and description never drones on or becomes overdone. Sentences for the most part flow well, and reading is generally smooth-sailing.
Story:
The buddy-cop dynamic is incredibly fun here, and the idea of these two solving mysteries alongside one another is one that excites. From up to where I've read, not too much plot has been covered, but the worldbuilding being gradually hinted at adds an undeniable depth to the world that only continues to intrigue the reader.
Grammar:
Pretty much flawless grammar-wise. No complaints here!
Character:
This story's strong point. Our two main leads bounce off each other remarkably well, creating endless opportunities for fun interactions and comedic one-liners. Even the side characters — mainly consisting of yetis from up to where I've read — have flavourful personalities conveyed through both enjoyable dialogue and subtle details. Both of our protagonists have intriguing backgrounds that I'm certain will merit a lot of interesting reveals in the future.
A recommended read! A buddy-cop story in a classical fantasy world isn't something I've seen before, and though very different to a lot of the general stories on this website, has a lot of potential.
CapaluchuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I was happily surprised that this story defied my expectations. When I first encountered the pairing of wizard and cyclops, I had assumed the mage would ride rough-shod over the brute. Nope. Where I am in the story the two are finding a balance and respect for each other. It is not forced or trite. It feels organic. With this dynamic powering the tale, the story is a pleasure to read.
STYLE: The story is told from Grugg’s perspective so far. I could see it shifting to the wizard and I think that would work if it does. The writing is clear and easy to follow.
STORY: We are just starting out but I must say the world-building is great. So far, we have a simple premise but already the giant culture is very well defined. I am looking forward to witnessing this world through the eyes of one of its monsters.
GRAMMAR: I have seen no real issues at all so far. The author's word choices are great. They are using descriptors that draw the reader in instead of just using an everyday vocabulary.
CHARACTERS: Grugg and BB are very well defined. I love how each has the ability to see something good in the other even though they are VASTLY un-alike.
OVERALL: This is a fun read. One that I am going to stick with. Thanks Kleggt!
DischtopiaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A brutish, solitary cyclops. A refined, cosmopolitan utility mage.
What would happen if one was a hat worn by the other? And, further, if they became a dynamic crime-solving duo?
This story answers that question. This question that no one in their right mind would ask. Nobody but Kleggt.
Bless you, Kleggt
Style: The narration style of Deathforged: Private Eye is far removed from the direct inner monologue of its main protagonist, Grugg... And thank goodness, because I'd imagine most readers don't have much patience for a story consisting entirely of monosyllabic words.
The narration takes pains to humanize (cylopsize?) Grugg and detail the minutiae of his solitary life in the mountains. Descriptions are lush and evocative, and the writer does a good job of sprinkling in Grugg's thought process and impressions of things without drowning him out or overdoing it on the sophistication of the prose.
In short, the style is very suitable to the story's use case. It's even somewhat beautiful at times! And often funny.
Story: The meat of the plot for me is more about Grugg's reaction to things than the actual things themselves. His terror, and eventual acceptance of discovering Hat for example, or his simultaneous reluctance and excitement over wandering the world of humans.
His reactions are what drove my interest, primarily, throughout these early chapters. Up to where I read, I would hesitate to say any actual crimes have been solved, but there has been plenty of banter between he and Hat! More on that in the character section.
Grammar: The grammar is solid, and the integration of more sophisticated vocabulary is well done. Despite this, I came close to docking a half-star here. Why?
On a few occasions, there is some ambiguity in the relationship between a sentence's subject and its predicate.
Examples:
The resulting clang as the metal tip crushed the targetted metal helmet straight into the yeti's skull, spraying droplets of blood and brain matter across the light snow.
K.A.ORoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall this story is an amazing piece of literature. I was skeptical and how good a story about a cyclops and a magic hat could be. I was shocked to find out how good it actually was. You made a brute of a cyclops and a hat into great characters. Well done. I will be reading every chapter as you put it out. I HIGHLY reccommend this as a read for everyone. It is such a nice story, and a great read.
Style: Your writing style is really good. It allows the narrative to flow quite nicely from chaper to chapter. It reads quite easily and that is something I really appreciate.
Story: Wow. You have created a wonderful tale and a unique take on the whole buddy cop trope. Althougth I do wish there was a little more world building, I can't really take any of the stars away because what you have is great. I hope I see a little more of the world as the story progresses.
Grammar: I haven't found any errors that you haven't already corrected. So great job there.
Character: I wish I could give you more than 5 stars for this category. Grugg and Hat are well thought out, fleshed out characters. Yes, I realize how absurd it sounds that a magic hat can be a great character. But you did it. Amazingly I have to add. The interactions between Grugg and Hat are some of the greatest I have seen in my tenure reading novels on RR.
KinAkira1996Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have never read a story that focuses on a monster as the main character, but I have to say that it is such a unique and funny take on the traditional magical worlds inspired by D&D and Tolkien's writings.
Grugg is a simple-minded cyclops who revels in the simple things in life. He hates getting wet and he's a hungry guy. As fate would have it, Grugg inadvertently ends up killing a wizard and forming a begrudging alliance with the wizard's sentient hat, Hat (he has an actual name but this is funnier).
The style is well-written, with very expressive prose and detail-oriented descriptions. This lends itself well to adding a lot of depth and nuance to the main characters Grugg and Hat. The juxtaposition between their personalities makes for some fun and novel situations that you would see in a typical buddy-cop adventure, dressed in a fantasy setting.
I was smiling the entire time I was reading and found the minor side characters to be quite expressive as well.
The grammar is top notch and I didn't find any major spelling errors in the story.
I would highly recommend this story if you're a fan of magic, monsters, comedy, or all of the above :)
KittyJinglesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Omg I love hats! Especially ones that start fun adventures
This made me think of the text adventure Lost Pig, there's a big strong guy with simple desires who has to figure out a mystery. It has a strong start. From the first chapter there's a distinct voice that fleshes out the characters (even when one of them doesn't have a body!)
As it goes along my main gripe is how quickly it changes from one kind of story to another. Personally I would have liked to see a little more conflict from old way of life to new way. Or maybe the personality from the set up came off a little too simple? Or maybe a bit more recognition of priorities changing. The narrative voice is so close we hear a lot of the thoughts, but there's no process so to me it felt like a sudden shift? Like the goals of the character I met in the first page don't seem to match so the inconsistency takes me out of it. Either way it's still fun, and the prose is strong
Intriguing set up. I've been reading so much entertaining fluff that gets the butter right but not the substance (like there's pleasure in reading tropes and then there's the pleasure of reading something written well) it's nice to see 🍿
LunaSeaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Grugg and Hat are probably as different as they can get - yet by some twist of fate they end up working together to solve mysteries, to entertaining results.
Style:
The author writes with a dry sense of humor, which often results in statements being laugh out loud funny. Prose is elegant and descriptive without being too lengthy - setting the scene nicely while delivering fast paced action sequences. The use of font styles to indicate different languages / speeches is well done and feels natural, almost like we're in the room with a translator equipped. As for the world being fleshed out, the portrayal thus far makes it clear that anywhere we go with Grugg and Hat will be enchanting thanks to the author's way with words.
Story:
At its heart, this is a buddy cop story set in a fantasy realm, featuring two unlikely collaborators. But don't be fooled - the author has already teased larger developments and schemes at play, while delivering a fun first case as of Chapter 8. There are clear hints of danger lurking in this world, even in Grugg's very first investigation, which feeds a rich and complex narrative sure to entertain readers.
Grammar:
Couldn't spot any flaws.
Character:
Grugg and Hat carry the story with their personalities and conversations - each of them distinctly individual and hilariously themselves. Their collaboration allows for a great many opportunities to showcase their own quirks, and we're presented with hints of backstories that provide context to already colorful characters.
Overall:
I've always liked investigative shows, especially those that deal with different cases per episode, and Private Eye satisfies both that itch as well as my fondness for fantasy stories. The humor is a huge plus, and I look forward to the continuing adventures of Grugg and Hat (and Thud). Definitely worth a read if you're a fan of fantasy, adventure, or mystery!
Mr Alex666Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Thank you very much for this masterwork of a priceless gem!
A lot of people try to be funny and still tell a tale, but you have to be a reincarnation of Sir Pratchett or Mr. Adams to pull it off. You did it! The story is serious and absurd at the same time, an "intellectually challenged" Round Eye playing private eye with the help of his... "mortally challenged" hat and his... trusty sidearm. Priceless!
While this review was made as a part of a review swap, you gained a new follower! Who would have thought, such a gem was hidden on RR.
Story: just the right amount of dumb violence, dumb investigation, and huge skulls buried! 5 stars, without a question.
Style: I could go on and on and on and on, how good, refreshing, unique, and [insert a ton of prises here] it is. I won't do it, because it is even better. When I wasn't hitting my head on the desk because of the antics of the MC, I was hitting my head on the desk because I was laughing so hard because of the antics of the MC. 5 stars, without a question.
Grammar: As close to perfect, as it goes. While I'm not a native speaker, I did not find any mistakes save for a couple of typos in ten chapters. My thanks for being one of the few, who formats their story properly, too. 5 Stars, without a question.
Character: Frankly, everyone is an idiot, a moron, and a primitive, idiotic moron. AND IT WORKS! I can picture the MC picking his nose in his cave, showing the acquired loot to his hat, and stroking his... Thud. The "slight misunderstandings" between MC and Hat... Can you guess? 5, without a question.
Total: 5 stars. I only rated it such, because I haven't figured out yet, how to give more.
PeterRobertsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This has been a really endeering story so far with lot's of funny moments.
There is a wonderful world described here full of fantasitical beasts and magic. The text is driven by dialogue and there is a lovely flow in the interactions between the characters.
The key to its success has been the use of characters and indeed the main crux of the book is the relationship between the two MC's. At first it is strained (why wouldn't it be) but it quickly morphs into a heartfelt duo. The juxtaposition of - well everything about the two characters is where the main comedy is found. But despite their differences in intelligence, the way they treat each other is remarkably gentle.
The lack of urgency regarding some great world ending event provides much of the charm in the early chapters. The potential of both characters is infinately improved through the relationship with the other, (granted the hat wasnt really fulfilling any quests alone), but I get the sense that Grugg was always looking for something more and I look forward to his journey toward finding it.
A quick note on the writing/craft side of things. There is an extreamly deft hand behind the interactions and the dialogue, not only the MC's. The Yeti's and their fearsome leader have few lines of dialogue but they are laser focused on portraying their collective character traits.