Hive (Madders of Time, Book 1) by DL Orton (TheWriteReads Blog Tour)

 

Book Info

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Category: Adult

Number of Pages: 350 Pages

Publication Date: May 6, 2025

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222567665-hive 

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/92ec58c7-fbb5-45cf-b7ab-23c42ea9f4e9 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/bnN8PN1 (Canada) https://a.co/d/7AiywJA (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/1P5EFIe (UK)

Blurb

What if saving the future meant rewriting the past?

In a dying world overrun by microdrones, humanity's last survivors cling to life inside the Eden-17 biodome. Isabel Sanborn knows her time is running out, but one desperate plan might give humanity a second chance. With the help of Madders, an enigmatic AI built from the memories of a brilliant physicist, Isabelle sends Diego Nadales—the love of her life—35 years into the past. His mission? To change the course of history and prevent their world's collapse. 

When Diego arrives in the vibrant yet fragile Main Timeline, he's forced to confront ghosts of the past, including a younger, ambitious version of Isabelle. As he battles to shape a better future, Diego must navigate a delicate web of relationships and events without destroying the very fabric of time. 

Brimming with suspense, heart-pounding action, and a poignant love story that transcends time, Madders of Time - Book One is a breathtaking science fiction adventure. Award-winning author DL Orton weaves a tale that explores sacrifice, resilience, and the timeless power of love. 

Fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and Dark Matter will find themselves captivated by this unforgettable journey through parallel worlds and intertwining destinies. 

The clock is ticking. Can love survive the collapse of time itself? 

Prepare to lose yourself in the first installment of the Madders of Time series—a story that will keep you turning pages and leave you hungry for more.

In the opening scenes of Hive, sometime in the future, Diego and Isabelle are old and living in bleak times. They are the only human survivors holding out in a dying biodome under attack from microdrones. Isabelle is dying, meaning Diego will be left all alone with only the AI system to talk to. When Isabelle discovers a way to allow one person to travel back in time and change the past, she sends Diego so that he can at least live out his final years in a better time, even if he fails to make the desired impact on their future timeline. Time travel brings its own pitfalls, as there are ethical implications for interfering in the past. Even small things can have a rippling effect. The entry logs from the AI system, Madders, are helpful to keep track of the main deviations in the timeline.

I would be the last person to say I understand anything about quantum physics, multiverses and parallel universes. However, that being said, I didn't need to understand it. All the science stuff seemed plausible and presented in an easy manner, allowing me to continue on my merry way without needing to overthink anything. I liked how modern issues are addressed in the book, from climate change, AI technology and the use of technology in warfare and other nefarious purposes.

At the heart of this book is a story of love and sacrifice. The main characters, Diego and Isabel, are beloved characters from the earlier Between Two Evils series. Having read those books, I knew that Diego and Isabel are destined for each other, so I didn't need a lot of relationship building for their younger selves. However, another reader unfamiliar might feel that spark missing and find their relationship rushed.

The story is told from the point of view of three main characters, Isabel, Diego, and Professor Matthew Hudson. I enjoyed the three perspectives as they gave insight into what was happening at different locations. I felt all the tension, pent-up frustration, and worry for his niece that the Professor was feeling. I really enjoyed the dark humour that he reverted to in tense situations, but it was Cassie who really lightened the mood with her snarky wisecracks and her brilliant but tough-as-nails persona.

A thought-provoking and emotional rollercoaster of a story. Themes of sacrifice, resilience, second chances, regret, and the power of love will resonate with all readers.

Hive ends in a cliffhanger so you finish the book wanting to immediately start the second. I've checked so you don't have to- the second book 'Jump' will be out in November 2025.

Thanks to the author for sending an early copy of the book and for The Write Reads for organising the blog tour and creating the marketing materials.

About the Author

The BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, D. L. ORTON, lives in the foothills of Colorado where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived Triops. Her future plans include completing the books in the BETWEEN TWO EVILS series followed by an extended vacation on a remote tropical island (with a Starbucks).

When she’s not writing, playing tennis, or helping with algebra, she’s building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University’s Writers Workshop and a past editor of “Top of the Western Staircase,” a literary publication of CU, Boulder. The author has a number of short stories published in online literary magazines, including Literotica.com, Melusine, Cosmoetica, The Ranfurly Review, and Catalyst Press.

Her debut novel, CROSSING IN TIME, has won numerous literary awards including an Indie Book Award and a Publishers Weekly Starred Review. It was also selected as one of only 12 Great Indie Stars by BookLife’s Prize in Fiction.