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Dynamicist Trilogy #1
Dynamicist: Dynamicist Trilogy Book, Book 1
Would it kill you to create something genuinely new? In Robert’s world, it used to.
Divine retribution for invention is now a thing of the past. Young, optimistic, quick of mind, and quick to act, Robert thinks being invited to the New School is an invitation to change the world.
Nothing is as simple as it first seems, least of all change. Robert is surprised and frustrated by everything from his classmates Koria and Eloise stalking him, to protestors claiming that the new grain is poison and its inventors should be murdered like in the old days. Worse yet, Robert has a dangerous, flash temper that is triggered by a campus assault. His anger has ties to a forgotten childhood, but Robert cannot change the world if he does not even understand himself.
At the same time as Robert struggles on campus, a powerful, ruthless sociopath known only as the Lonely Wizard journeys across a desolate wilderness to return to his dying mother. As Robert and the Lonely Wizard head towards a collision, Robert finds that instead of entering a golden age of innovation, he may instead be on the brink of a cold war and a return to the stultifying, changeless dark age.
Divine retribution for invention is now a thing of the past. Young, optimistic, quick of mind, and quick to act, Robert thinks being invited to the New School is an invitation to change the world.
Nothing is as simple as it first seems, least of all change. Robert is surprised and frustrated by everything from his classmates Koria and Eloise stalking him, to protestors claiming that the new grain is poison and its inventors should be murdered like in the old days. Worse yet, Robert has a dangerous, flash temper that is triggered by a campus assault. His anger has ties to a forgotten childhood, but Robert cannot change the world if he does not even understand himself.
At the same time as Robert struggles on campus, a powerful, ruthless sociopath known only as the Lonely Wizard journeys across a desolate wilderness to return to his dying mother. As Robert and the Lonely Wizard head towards a collision, Robert finds that instead of entering a golden age of innovation, he may instead be on the brink of a cold war and a return to the stultifying, changeless dark age.
- GenresFantasy
Audible Audio
First published February 20, 2020
9 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Lee Hunt
5 books15 followersBorn with only one working lung and having had the last rites read to him when almost dying of an influenza-related viral pneumonia, 25-year-old geophysicist Lee Hunt experienced several near-death dreams. The power of communication and the need to both understand and be understood was at the heart of each. He had already found that nothing was more important than being able to cross the distance between people.
Lee’s interests are eclectic. He is an Ironman Triathlete, hiker, traveler, and an enthusiastic sport rock climber. Lee also continues to work as a geophysicist on Carbon Capture and Sequestration projects, and is a writer for BIG-Media.ca.
The dream of understanding and being understood has never left his mind, and Lee pursues this dream in his works of fiction through metaphor. His novels include The Dynamicist Trilogy, Last Worst Hopes and Bed of Rose and Thorns.
Lee’s interests are eclectic. He is an Ironman Triathlete, hiker, traveler, and an enthusiastic sport rock climber. Lee also continues to work as a geophysicist on Carbon Capture and Sequestration projects, and is a writer for BIG-Media.ca.
The dream of understanding and being understood has never left his mind, and Lee pursues this dream in his works of fiction through metaphor. His novels include The Dynamicist Trilogy, Last Worst Hopes and Bed of Rose and Thorns.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 9, 2020
Having received an advanced reading copies of the Trilogy, I can honestly say this is an excellent book! Dynamicist has all the elements of a great fantasy novel; magic, excitement, adventure and daring. It is a character driven novel, and the characters are fantastic. They are strong and intelligent young women; enthusiastic, logical, and sensitive young men; brilliant professors, and fascinating but unstable old wizards. I personally relate to several elements of Eloise, she is definitely one of my favorite characters! It has a highly interesting undercurrent around a the impacts of a newly bred cereal crop, it's economics and overall social impacts, which is far more entertaining and dramatic that one would have expected! The exploration of this new grain mirrors some of the challenges we face today, which heightens the intrigue. The wonderful connections between magic, physics, chemistry, psychology, math, statistics, philosophy, high adventure, logical discussion, and the pains of growing up are all woven together in a wonderful book that will leave you hankering for the rest of the trilogy.
April 9, 2022
I throughly enjoyed reading the book and look forward to reading the subsequent books in the Trilogy. I loved how Lee intertwined the concept of science, mathematics, magic, friendship and love through the journey of Robert. One cannot but relate to all the characters introduced in the book, especially Robert’s classmates, reminded me of some of my friends when I went to school.
Another intriguing part of the story, is the journey of the Lonely Wizard, still a cliff hanger at the end of the book, so I must read on the next two books to find out what happens next.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoy a good story of the fantasy world with elements of science, mathematics, magic, life, friendship and love.
Another intriguing part of the story, is the journey of the Lonely Wizard, still a cliff hanger at the end of the book, so I must read on the next two books to find out what happens next.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoy a good story of the fantasy world with elements of science, mathematics, magic, life, friendship and love.
February 23, 2021
Overall the book had an interesting feel. While being considered fantasy, it felt more real world, compared to the fantasy seen in Tolkien or Brandon Sanderson. It is an age of new inventions and discovery and is reminiscent of the start of the industrial revolution in our world history. But not all is well and the discord that is shown in the book mirrors issues in our current society making the world setting for the story feel real.
The characters are also very relatable, I myself see a lot of myself in the main character and resonate with him, and the many others in the book feel like real people each with strengths and flaws and development.
The story of the main character follows a common coming of age story, where he is off onto a new chapter of his life along all the growth that comes with that. The idea of learning who you are and what you can do to change the world is a strong theme that is easy to connect with.
I was interested by the traumatic event that occurs mid-book. It is dark and adult in nature, and not something I would have expected to be addressed in a fantasy setting. But Lee uses this event to not only do something drastic and different, but also have the characters bond and grow from the event. I admit I had mixed feelings about including something of this nature in the story, but seeing how the characters and story grew from it was interesting and gave me something to think about and reflect upon in my own life.
The themes of science, invention, and mathematics are strong throughout the story, though one thing I love is that you don't need to be a scientist or mathematician to understand the concepts. You will learn as the main character learns and it's written in a way that makes it understandable. Don't worry, there's no equations or test for you as the reader.
By the end of the story I felt connected to the characters and invested in the world. I wanted to know what would happen next and jumped into Herald, the second book of the series, right away. I recommend this book for anyone who has a love of fantasy and/or science and math. Come journey into a new world where life, death, creation, and invention are all connected. Come change the world for better or perhaps for the worse.
The characters are also very relatable, I myself see a lot of myself in the main character and resonate with him, and the many others in the book feel like real people each with strengths and flaws and development.
The story of the main character follows a common coming of age story, where he is off onto a new chapter of his life along all the growth that comes with that. The idea of learning who you are and what you can do to change the world is a strong theme that is easy to connect with.
I was interested by the traumatic event that occurs mid-book. It is dark and adult in nature, and not something I would have expected to be addressed in a fantasy setting. But Lee uses this event to not only do something drastic and different, but also have the characters bond and grow from the event. I admit I had mixed feelings about including something of this nature in the story, but seeing how the characters and story grew from it was interesting and gave me something to think about and reflect upon in my own life.
The themes of science, invention, and mathematics are strong throughout the story, though one thing I love is that you don't need to be a scientist or mathematician to understand the concepts. You will learn as the main character learns and it's written in a way that makes it understandable. Don't worry, there's no equations or test for you as the reader.
By the end of the story I felt connected to the characters and invested in the world. I wanted to know what would happen next and jumped into Herald, the second book of the series, right away. I recommend this book for anyone who has a love of fantasy and/or science and math. Come journey into a new world where life, death, creation, and invention are all connected. Come change the world for better or perhaps for the worse.
September 28, 2021
What a fun ride...highly recommend
August 5, 2021
A young man heads off to school to make friends (and a few enemies) while discovering powers he did not expect. Oh, and there’s chemistry. Lots and lots of chemistry. In some ways this story reminded me a little of The Name of Wind though there’s more innocents and CareBear moments to it. Robert Endicott has a charm to him with a never-ending cup of optimism. Sometimes this made me cheer and sometimes I had to roll my eyes a little. Robert, not everything can be made better with rainbows and puppies! And Robert does have some harsh wake up calls, like when he comes across a young lady who has just suffered a sexual assault.
I really enjoyed the world building, especially the magic systems. Explaining magic through chemistry and physics (and not a a small dash of will power) gives a fun twist to it. The prophetic visions of a catastrophic future were also a great way to build some suspense. There’s a small amount of politics at the school as Robert learns who you can insult freely and who you have to take insults from. Still, he makes several friends right off the bat and even manages to convert a few potential enemies to friendly status.
The ladies are decently represented. There’s several of them and they all have individual characteristics. Though they all seem to be in love with Robert in one way or another. There was this one scene where I was pretty sure we were going to tip into harem territory… but that was averted….. for now. Since the entire story is told from Robert’s point-of-view (with a few small exceptions for the nebulous and distant Lonely Wizard), when the ladies are talking to each other, they are talking about a guy. So the book doesn’t quite pass the Bechdel Test, but it’s a lot better than a ton of epic fantasies in this area. Still, there is some insta-love between Robert and his chosen love. Not much simmering there but instead some angsty, ‘oh we can’t do it until there’s complete trust’ nonsense. The ladies appear to have their own lives though all that seems to happen off-stage with Robert remaining the center of everyone’s world.
There’s a few LGBTQ+ characters in this book. I mention this because I was granted a review copy of this book through Other Worlds Ink Blog Tour company, which specializes in queer speculative fiction. I would have liked more representation or even to just have this aspect of life pop up much earlier in the book. As is, they are secondary or tertiary characters.
Anyhoo, there’s some good humor and some action (though I could have done with more of that). Right now, it feels like a slow burn lead up to more epic happenings, hopefully in book 2. I have enjoyed the story so far and I look forward to Robert running into something he needs to solve with a legendary sword and a love song in his heart. 4/5 stars.
The Narration: Craig A. Hart is a good solid pick for this story. He had unique voices for all the characters and his female character voices were believable. Hart pulled off the humor with perfect timing and he handled the tougher, more emotional scenes with competence. There were no technical issues with the recording and the pacing was spot on. 5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
I really enjoyed the world building, especially the magic systems. Explaining magic through chemistry and physics (and not a a small dash of will power) gives a fun twist to it. The prophetic visions of a catastrophic future were also a great way to build some suspense. There’s a small amount of politics at the school as Robert learns who you can insult freely and who you have to take insults from. Still, he makes several friends right off the bat and even manages to convert a few potential enemies to friendly status.
The ladies are decently represented. There’s several of them and they all have individual characteristics. Though they all seem to be in love with Robert in one way or another. There was this one scene where I was pretty sure we were going to tip into harem territory… but that was averted….. for now. Since the entire story is told from Robert’s point-of-view (with a few small exceptions for the nebulous and distant Lonely Wizard), when the ladies are talking to each other, they are talking about a guy. So the book doesn’t quite pass the Bechdel Test, but it’s a lot better than a ton of epic fantasies in this area. Still, there is some insta-love between Robert and his chosen love. Not much simmering there but instead some angsty, ‘oh we can’t do it until there’s complete trust’ nonsense. The ladies appear to have their own lives though all that seems to happen off-stage with Robert remaining the center of everyone’s world.
There’s a few LGBTQ+ characters in this book. I mention this because I was granted a review copy of this book through Other Worlds Ink Blog Tour company, which specializes in queer speculative fiction. I would have liked more representation or even to just have this aspect of life pop up much earlier in the book. As is, they are secondary or tertiary characters.
Anyhoo, there’s some good humor and some action (though I could have done with more of that). Right now, it feels like a slow burn lead up to more epic happenings, hopefully in book 2. I have enjoyed the story so far and I look forward to Robert running into something he needs to solve with a legendary sword and a love song in his heart. 4/5 stars.
The Narration: Craig A. Hart is a good solid pick for this story. He had unique voices for all the characters and his female character voices were believable. Hart pulled off the humor with perfect timing and he handled the tougher, more emotional scenes with competence. There were no technical issues with the recording and the pacing was spot on. 5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
October 16, 2021
The Dynamicist by Lee Hunt regales us with stories of a young man, named Robert Endicott, who is provided the opportunity to expand his knowledge in dynamics at the new school. Adventures and love are abundant in this fantasy.
Dynamics is a mixture of magic, math and science and provides much power to those who possess the ability to control it. This powerful ability creates strife, especially among the simple folk who reject any sort of change, never mind those changes that are not easily understood. Many cling to ancient stories of Nimrheal, whose legend rejects change and who was rumoured to kill innovators, including scientists and inventors.
The characters and the structure of the Dynamicist are constructed to leave us wanting more, anticipating what’s next, but not quite knowing what’s to come. The Dynamicist is an exciting and fast-paced fantastical adventure into wizardry and the training thereof.
Dynamics is a mixture of magic, math and science and provides much power to those who possess the ability to control it. This powerful ability creates strife, especially among the simple folk who reject any sort of change, never mind those changes that are not easily understood. Many cling to ancient stories of Nimrheal, whose legend rejects change and who was rumoured to kill innovators, including scientists and inventors.
The characters and the structure of the Dynamicist are constructed to leave us wanting more, anticipating what’s next, but not quite knowing what’s to come. The Dynamicist is an exciting and fast-paced fantastical adventure into wizardry and the training thereof.
Read
June 15, 2021Robert lives in a world where magic is a science, and he is on his way to greatness.
I received a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the narrator did a great job, and he had a very listenable voice.
I also liked the concept of magic being math-based and the logical approach to it. I was excited to see how the world would develop, etc.
After reading the synopsis, I was under the impression that this would follow Robert through his time at the New School, which I was all for.
Unfortunately, I didn't get that far.
Apart from a brief interview, the first three hours (a whole quarter of the audiobook), I was being talked at about grain futures, and the impossibility of it not changing over time.
We are talked at about farmers and grain merchants, and their squabbles and issues.
Now, I'm part of the farming community, and I always love when it's included in fantasy worlds.
In fact, as long as people are invested and passionate about anything, no matter how "dull"; I'm there for the ride.
Unfortunately, Robert isn't passionate about anything. But as our narrator, he still takes everything apart, atom by atom, and explains it with a certain disinterest and superiority.
I get that this is just Robert's personality, this is how he processes the world, but I couldn't get invested.
I received a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the narrator did a great job, and he had a very listenable voice.
I also liked the concept of magic being math-based and the logical approach to it. I was excited to see how the world would develop, etc.
After reading the synopsis, I was under the impression that this would follow Robert through his time at the New School, which I was all for.
Unfortunately, I didn't get that far.
Apart from a brief interview, the first three hours (a whole quarter of the audiobook), I was being talked at about grain futures, and the impossibility of it not changing over time.
We are talked at about farmers and grain merchants, and their squabbles and issues.
Now, I'm part of the farming community, and I always love when it's included in fantasy worlds.
In fact, as long as people are invested and passionate about anything, no matter how "dull"; I'm there for the ride.
Unfortunately, Robert isn't passionate about anything. But as our narrator, he still takes everything apart, atom by atom, and explains it with a certain disinterest and superiority.
I get that this is just Robert's personality, this is how he processes the world, but I couldn't get invested.
February 22, 2021
Intriguing, Did not like the staggered time line narrative, but otherwise well written if a bit draggy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews