Characters in The Homework Machine and its sequel, Return of the Homework Machine.
The D-Squad
Tropes Applying to the D-Squad as a whole
- Fire-Forged Friends: If Brenton had never built the Homework Machine and they didn't go through the ordeal with it together, they never would have been more than classmates.
- Two Girls to a Team: Unusually, there are an equal number of boy and girl main characters, though Snik and Brenton do generally get more focus.
Sam "Snikwad" Dawkins
- Book Dumb
- I'll Be Your Best Friend: His original strategy to get Brenton to let him use the Homework Machine. They eventually become best friends for real.
- Odd Friendship: With Brenton.
- Smart People Play Chess: Interestingly enough, Sam is not interested in chess until Brenton describes it as a virtual simulation of war. Him being able to beat Brenton at Chess is a hallmark of his character development.
- War Is Glorious: Originally believes this until his father dies and he sobers up about it.
Brenton Damagatchi
- Asian and Nerdy
- Child Prodigy
- My God, What Have I Done?: Building the Homework Machine and, later, starting Canyonism. Though, if he had never built the Homework Machine, he and the D-Squad never would have become friends.
- Odd Friendship: With all of the D-Squad, but especially Snik.
- The Stoic: Very rarely loses his cool, and even when he does he tends not to be over the top about it.
- Scam Religion: He and Snikwad design Canyonism as a joke, but when people start taking it seriously, both of them have a massive Oh, Crap! moment.
- Smart People Play Chess: He played Chess with himself as a young child, and introduces Sam to the game later. Sam being able to beat him is a hallmark of the latter's character development.
- Stop Worshipping Me: Freaks out when people don't realize that Canyonism is a joke.
Judy Douglas
- Black and Nerdy
- Teacher's Pet: At first.
- Official Couple: With Brenton at the end of the first book, but they're both so young that it doesn't last.
- The Perfectionist: Despite her best efforts, she is never quite as academically gifted as Brenton, her resentment of which tempts her into using the Homework Machine for the first time.
Kelsey Donnelly
- Granola Girl: Goes through this phase in Book 2, which inspires Brenton and Snik to start Canyonism.
- Hidden Depths: The reason she never cares much about anything is because her father died when she was six, and as a result she doesn't find it worth it to get worked up about the less important things in life anymore.
- The Slacker
Other Characters
Ronnie Teotwawki
- The Sixth Ranger: At the end of the second book.
- Spanner in the Works
Ms. Rasmussen
Mr. Murphy
Richard Milner
- Big Bad
- Character Death: At the end of Book Two.
- Con Man
- Get-Rich-Quick Scheme: His character's endgame.
- Red Herring: In book one, but by Book Two he has become the main antagonist for real.
- Snake Oil Salesman
- Stalker without a Crush: Claims that he isn't a stalker, but he knew Kelsey's name and family history without possibly being able to have legitimately. He's really desperate to recruit Brenton into his Get-Rich-Quick Scheme.
Belch
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Maybe. We don't know to what extent Belch is sapient, considering these books mostly fall into the realm of realistic fiction, but he is powered by an experimental superchip...
- It Won't Turn Off: When Brenton decides to deactivate it, it refuses the shut off commands and continues to run even after being unplugged.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: More like "Maybe firm Science Fiction, maybe realistically possible", but still qualifies.
