There were some original and really good ideas in this book, which I was really pleased to see.
A seemingly post-apocalyptic book segues into a time travel book, with a good tough of multiverse science fiction, and some credible world events were also in there. So this clever book should please rather a lot of readers!
The gripping writing gave a great deal of tension to the story, which kept my nose fairly glued to the pages. It didn't take me long to read, but that was only because it was so very hard to put down!
I certainly cannot wait to see what becomes of the characters in this compelling world, and am really looking forward to the next book in the series!

HIVE is a wonderfully captivating time-traveling romantic adventure and the first book in the Madders of Time series! After enjoying the Between Two Evils series, I couldn't wait to dive back into the exciting world of time travel.

From the very first page, this engaging and thought-provoking dystopian story had me hooked! I absolutely loved the Entry Log format at the start of each chapter—it’s such a clever way to keep track of where we are in the story. While I wasn’t totally sold on the romance, I thought it added an interesting layer to the plot.

The characters are delightful and really well-developed, making them feel alive and relatable. It was such a treat to reconnect with Isabel and Diego; their presence added a wonderful touch of familiarity.

Overall, HIVE is an amazing start to the series, and I’m super excited to see where it goes next! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and fast-paced time-travel adventure. And don’t worry if you haven’t read the previous series—you’ll jump right in without missing a beat!

I really enjoyed this time travel, sci fi, dystopian book. It was quite original, the writing was engaging, the characters likable, and the plot was definitely engrossing.

I’m just not sure I understood the ending. Or maybe that was the point? There was no ending, and the subsequent books will explain more? Either way, I found Hive to be a thoroughly entertaining book. The love story between two of the main characters was sweet and relatable. The storyline about what caused the collapse of modern society was thrilling to read. And there was one character whose actions were enough to get your blood boiling, I just wanted to reach through the pages and throttle him. But anyway…

I definitely am looking forward to continuing this series, and will definitely look into the authors other books.

Thank you to Rocky Mountain Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I have mixed feelings towards this book, but overall I can say that I did enjoy it, however I don’t think I’d want to read any future books in the series.

Let’s start with what I did like. I really enjoyed the dystopian, time travel, sci-Fi theme of the book. I’ve never read anything with a time/universe travel aspect before so I found it really refreshing. The plot was believable, particularly in this day and age, end of the world disasters etc honestly are plausible, which made it feel so realistic.

I liked that we dip in to different characters perspectives in each chapter, giving the reader glimpses into their lives and seeing them progress and cross paths.

However, I really didn’t enjoy the characters dialogue. It felt overwritten, unrealistic and a bit gimmicky. It took away from the characters in my opinion and it was the main thing I struggled with, I had to take many breaks between reading because it really put me off.

I did like all the technological lingo and space-time terminologies but at times I felt a little lost as to what was going on. Overall I really like the concept and it has made me want to read more in this genre, but I can’t get past the characters dialogue and how they interact, it was a distraction to the story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rocky Mountain Press for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

A page-turning sci-fi & dystopian time travel adventure. The three main characters find themselves in an apocalypse and must travel through time to save the future. But can the future even be saved? A very thought-provoking read about time, world lines, and society, told from the perspective of three characters the reader grows to love.

Highly reccomend. If you like the show Steins Gate, this book is for you, or vice versa. I will be eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.

In January of this year author DL Orton posted to Threads: “I write pages and pages of character background before I ever start writing a book. I think characters are more interesting and dynamic when I know who they are before I start building their stories on the page.”

Character building is something this independent author is known for - read reviews of this latest book, or any of the previous books in the “Between Two Evils” series and you’ll see that the depth of the characters is something reviewers often comment on. The characters in this latest book allow the author’s sense of humor to shine through - the main characters exchange bad puns and engage in comedic wordplay, while some of the side characters seem to be there mostly to provide comic relief.

That humor helps to ground the intricately laid out plot that plays around with the concepts of time travel and a multiverse. I’ll run through the main characters and give you some of the highlights of the plot in what follows but will necessarily be leaving out a lot of the texture and detail.

A wheelchair-bound Isabel Sanborn sets the storyline in motion, along with her dead-but-uploaded-to-an-AI friend Matthew Hudson (the AI goes by the name “Madders”). She sends Diego Nadeles back in time on a mission to change the past in order to prevent the bleak future they currently inhabit. When Diego leaves, she will be alone - the last human in the biodome that is the last home of humanity on a dystopian world. And, since it will take all the power they have left to send Diego to the past she’s consigning herself to a quick death as the biodome will fail around her.

In the past future-Diego makes a brief appearance before the story continues with present-Diego and present-Isabel charting their way into a relationship as the events leading to dystopia begin to unfold.

Dave, whom Isabel has recently divorced as the book begins, is an evil genius billionaire in an Elon Musk meets Lex Luther mold. Isabel works for Dave, and her project is the creation of robot bees designed to pollinate crops, as nature’s bees falter on the road to extinction. As the plot unfolds it becomes apparent that Dave has other designs on the robot swarm, hoping to manufacture and sell them as carriers of biological weapons, equipped with stingers to deliver death to their targets. Isabel’s plot to thwart Dave is a highlight of the book.

Meanwhile present-day Matt Hudson gets sucked into a secret government research project to determine who or what is behind a small spherical object that crashes in Denver. He’s assisted by his PhD student Sam and eventually his daughter Cassandra.

How much of what happens is consistent with the timeline that leads to dystopia? That is being monitored throughout by Madders, the future-AI stuck in a computer in the biodome on a failed world. Madders has woken up after solar power has refilled the batteries in the biodome. He has access to “peeper” technology that allows him to peer into the past. Madders gives a status of how the timeline is varying at the start of each new chapter.

So where is all this leading? Well, to a cliffhanger. It is Book 1 after all.

Now I’m not a big fan of cliffhangers in books. It can be a long time between books, especially for a newly published book like this one, so cliffhangers can be pretty frustrating. But I have to say that I agree with all those other reviewers who comment on the strong characters Orton writes. As a reader you really do become involved in their stories and want them to succeed. And I also enjoyed the way the plot unfolded. The end result is that, despite my dislike for cliffhangers, I liked this book a lot and can’t wait for the next one. Which is slated to come out in November of this year. I’ll have to wait…

This is the first book by DL Orton that I’ve read. Since finishing the book and doing a bit of research on the author I’ve learned that the characters in this book also feature in the “Between Two Evils” series. So, I may need to go back and dive into those books while waiting for the next “Madders of Time” book to arrive.

Hive by D.L. Orton delivers an interesting time-travel narrative that centers around strong emotional themes but might not appeal to readers who favor less personal speculative worlds. The core strengths of the book emerge from its dramatic main premise and the ethical challenges of changing historical events.

Though the storyline initially progresses slowly the plot eventually pulls in readers who wait for the timeline connections to become more apparent. Diego and Matthew serve as entry points for understanding the narrative’s complexity yet their character growth remains secondary to plot mechanics for some readers.

Hive shows us that common environments can become fascinating when we perceive them as on the brink of disaster. The disparity between the end-of-the-world future and our current world creates narrative tension that propels the story.

Hive provides a science fiction adventure that combines complex technical concepts with human drama to create an engaging experience for readers who want meaningful emotional stakes. The book doesn’t redefine time travel storytelling but presents an insightful examination of human determination to preserve their most important things.

The initial book of the series, Hive builds its fictional universe and main conflict while leaving sufficient mysteries to compel readers to continue with the series. Even though the book did not match my preference with less modern elements it still offered an intriguing plot that kept me engaged until the end.

Full review can be found on at https://bromantasy.com/reviews/hive

This was my first book by Orton, but I have already downloaded the first book in the previous series (which, as I understand it, has all the same characters). I know I'm missing great amounts of backstory, but loved this anyway. Our two main characters are pretty much all that's left of humanity and attempt to use time travel in combination with the multiverse, to stop the apocalypse from happening in other universes. Orton makes this all make perfect sense. Highly recommended.

A big thank you to Rocky Mountain Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC upon request!

Okay, so this was a book I picked up on a whim. I saw the cover art (which was notably created with an image-generation AI tool) and thought, “You know what? I don’t usually trust books using AI-generated covers, but I know it’s a popular tool with smaller self-published indie authors, so let’s check this out. Who knows, maybe the content inside makes up for it.”

So, I have feelings.

For starters, the AI-generated visuals don’t stop at the cover. Numerous portraits are scattered throughout the book, and start each new chapter with a thumbnail. There is a splash page at the end of the eBook that was likely AI generated, as well as a thumbnail on the first page.

Why does this bother me? Well, aside from being an artist myself, I think AI-generated content is a bad sign for marketing to consumers if you want people to read your book. Apps such as Midjourney may be powerful in creating detailed images with a text-based prompt, but its ease of access has led to the Internet becoming flooded with AI-generated images to the point of being seen as ‘spam’ content. In turn, this has led AI-generated content to have the reputation of being ‘scammy,’ ‘cheap’ and ‘low-effort’; it is also worth noting that many financial scams have occurred with the use of AI.

Anyways, into the book itself.

Some of the things I really liked were the opening and closing chapters, especially the way the prologue introduces the setting of the present day before Diego is sent back in time. I also like the relationship between Matthew “Madders” Hudson and Cassandra - there was something cute about a gay uncle and his niece whom he raised like a daughter. I liked the pets, Lucky and Tolstoy, but that was a guarantee. Of course if you’re going to put cats in your book, I’m going to love the cats. The scenes of Diego in the cabin with Isabel were so cozy, I couldn’t help but enjoy them.To me, the domestic scenes were one of the strongest points in the novel.

If I had to pick the biggest flaw in this book, it would be the character dialogue. Too many of the characters have ‘Marvel movie syndrome’, where almost every single spoken line of dialogue is either trying to be witty banter, or be a pop culture reference. It got grating really fast. This, in turn, became a huge detriment to the protagonists for me, as most of them don’t feel like real people, but a simulacrum of snarky personalities that align with the required character tropes. For example, there is an Inigo Montoya reference gleefully made by a character that, two pages ago, just found out the apocalypse was happening outside and that their parents might be in danger.

The villain is evil to a comical degree and doesn’t feel realistic at all, and while not all villains need to be intricate portraits of madmen, I do think there needs to be more to one than just “I’m Bob Evil and I love preying on barely legal girls (because we need to make him as gross as possible).” The external world, meanwhile, operates like dream logic, and reminded me of, out of all things, Empress Theresa by Norman Boutin, where events happen so the characters can have their one-liners. Characters get detained by the government and talk about/to the agents like a misbehaving student to a teacher.

One big thing: I think this book desperately needs a sensitivity reader, as there are a myriad of racial and gendered stereotypes that I feel could’ve been caught by one. Every Asian woman in this book is referred to as “petite” and “a beauty”, reinforcing the weird, orientalist way Western writers behave about Asian women. An Asian character is mistaken for a boy, only to be called “strikingly beautiful” in the next sentence when it’s revealed that they’re actually a girl. It’s not an egregious mistake but it says a lot that the narrative suddenly calls her ‘pretty’ once it’s revealed that ‘he’ is a ‘she’. Diego himself is a Dashing Hispanic/Latin Lover trope in spades - despite speaking perfectly good English, he drops random words in Spanish during his chapters so we don’t forget that he’s Costa Rican, is a good lover, and can speak Spanish (he never speaks a full line of Spanish, by the way-but he says ‘mierda’ at least once per page). Every woman that isn’t Asian or Isabel is described in a derogatory way, and it made me feel weird, as a woman, to read Isabel judge random women half her age so harshly. It’s the little things, and I think that if a sensitivity reader got a hold of this, they’d be able to point that out. Hopefully that can still be done, since it’s in the ARC phase now, and not formally published yet, but I know ARCs aren’t usually that much different from the final product.

This review has gone on long enough, so I’ll close it out here: if you like D. L. Orton’s previous work, I think you’ll like this book. But as a first-time reader of her stuff, I found myself having issues with it. Maybe take a look at it if science fiction time travel with personal drama is your thing, and it does make a fast read, clocking in at three hundred pages according to my ARC copy. Like I said, there are some really cool elements in here and some nice scenes, but they’re held back by the overly quippy dialogue and character stereotypes, both thematically and culturally.

A well written story with the elements of a love story, with the multiverse, alternate timelines, dystopia and bionics all tossed together and somehow it works! I enjoyed it more than I thought.

(Note: I received an advance copy of this book free for review.)
Ordinarily I give a quick "No Go" on books that seem designed only to coerce you to buy the next book. Far too often they don't give you a book that stands on its own, so it feels like just a marketing scam to get you to buy another book. I will say Hive felt that way, but... after several days consideration, I think the character development and plot led to a reasonable satisfaction at the end of the first book so I am definitely inclined to go the next--without feeling like I have to get a sense of resolution.

I found Hive to be extremely. engaging, and despite all the time switches forward and back, rather than being confusing it really added to the story well. I congratulate Orton on an excellent first book, and a writing technique that drew me in well. The story and the interactions of the characters involved is excellent, and I recommend this book to everyone, If you feel drawn to the next book, great! But if you don't, this book leaves you feeling like there is a sense that things may progress well.

I think that when I started reading Hive, I expected a different kind of book, so it took me a while to immerse myself in its world. But once I got attuned to it, I enjoyed reading Hive. Since this book is the first volume in a new series, we didn’t get all the answers or explanations, which is understandable. However, there were holes in the "plot's tapestry" that bothered me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This book was extremely dystopian but wit periods of normality mixed in. The ability of man to tinker with nature comes in direct conflict with the nature of time itself. All the basic human emotions play out against this with a couple caught up in love and time. A good page turner,

The first book of the Madders of Time series, and I’m already eagerly awaiting the next. Hive follows the connections woven between Isabelle Sanborn, Diego Nadales, and Matt Husdon through the multiverse. I fell in love with the characters and their stories. I felt a little confused trying to keep the names and timelines in order in the beginning, but overall such a good read. Thank you Rocky Mountain Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

Oh my goodness. This book was incredible and I had so much trouble putting it down for real life. Loved the storyline and can’t wait to find out more!

The core concept of *Hive* – a time-traveling, dystopian thriller centered on the fallout from a narcissistic tech billionaire's actions – is undeniably compelling. The character dynamics between billionaire David Kirkland, his ex-wife Isabel, her former boyfriend Diego and physicist Matthew Hudson are intriguing, promising a complex interplay of ambition, betrayal, and redemption. The narrative effectively establishes a high-stakes race against time, fueled by the characters' desperate efforts to avert catastrophic events. The blend of romance and the resilience of hope amidst profound tragedy adds emotional depth, making the main characters relatable despite their extraordinary circumstances.

However, the execution presents some challenges. While the protagonists are engaging and their struggles are palpable, the portrayal of certain secondary characters veers into caricature. Their flaws, though intended to highlight the moral complexities of the story, feel exaggerated to the point of distraction. The novel suffers from an uneven distribution of information; certain details are over-explained, while crucial plot points are left dangling, creating a frustrating cliffhanger. While this cliffhanger undoubtedly serves to entice readers toward the sequel, consideration should be given to strategically revealing more crucial information in this installment to maintain reader engagement.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mindbuck Media and the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and DL Orton for the free eARC in exchange for my review.

Reading Hive by DL Orton was quite the journey. I found myself drawn into the story, captivated by the intricate world-building and dynamic characters that kept me turning the pages. The plot had moments of real brilliance, and the author’s ability to blend suspense with emotional depth made it an engaging experience overall.

That being said, there were parts where the pacing felt a bit uneven, and a few plot threads left me wishing for more closure or development. Despite these minor hiccups, the book had enough intrigue and heart to make it a worthwhile read. I genuinely appreciated the themes explored and the moments that made me pause to reflect. If you enjoy speculative fiction with both action and emotional weight, Hive is definitely worth checking out.


37.5 stars rounded to 4 :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Rocky Mountain Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Full disclosure: I had never heard of D.L. Orton nor any of her other books prior to stumbling upon this ARC and being completely intrigued by the summary and cover. After reading it... well, frankly, I think that EVERYONE should have heard of D.L. Orton! This author is a phenomenal writer.

First of all, the premise of this book (and presumably the series) is just really cool. I found it to be a believable future, which I can't often say for time travel books. There are three character POVs that we jump between, and while this is occasionally confusing, I was able to reorient myself within the first few sentences of each new POV. For the first time in a long time, I connected with all three of these main characters, and found myself internally and enthusiastically rooting for some characters and booing others.

Second of all, the writing itself is beautifully done. Descriptions are eloquent and not overly flowery. Dialogue is easy to follow. While I would prefer less cursing (personal taste), I did not feel that the cursing was out of place considering the environment and situations in which these characters found themselves.

I'll admit that I was disappointed to "lose" Madders, a very intriguing character, near the beginning, but the inclusion of log entries connecting the timelines gives me hope that Madders might again become a player later in the series.

Overall I really enjoyed this, and I eagerly await Madders of Time #2!

Content Warnings:
- Terminal illness
- Violence
- Miscarriage
- Cursing
- Alcohol

Let me say right off, I loved this book, and had a hard time putting it down. Shall we look at why?

First off, I’m always intrigued by dystopian time travel stories. But this is a difficult topic to do well, so I always have a certain amount of trepidation in starting these types of books. I needn’t have worried.

So how did the author handle it? She did not bog down the story with made up physics. Instead, it’s told through the experiences of the characters. And she has some really great characters - three very likable viewpoint characters - all scientists - a narcissistic billionaire, a reasonable military man who wants to save the world, and a paranoid government agent.

The chapters switch between the three viewpoint characters, Diego Nadales, Matt Hudson, and Isabel Sanborn. Each chapter is written in first person - my preferred viewpoint to read.

The book begins near end of human time on Earth. There are only two humans - Diego Nadales and Isabel Sanborn - and a AI called Madders, who holds the consciousness of Matt Hudson, left. They decide to send Diego Nadales back in time to see if he can change the timeline. And it is Madders who will watch events unfold to determine if Diego was successful.

Pros

- The viewpoint characters are very likable. It’s easy to become invested in their well being.

- A profound setting: the end of humanity on Earth.

- “May you live in interesting times,” purported to be a curse whose provenance has never been established, is a great description for the events in this book. Terrible for the characters, but a great plot.

- DL Orton is an excellent writer.

Cons

- Maybe I'm quibbling, because this is the first book in a series, but rather than drawing this book to a close, it just seems to stop. I was left feeling rather frustrated. It is why I gave the book a 4.5 rather than a 5.0. (However since you can only provide whole numbers on NetGalley, I will round up to 5.0.)

That said, I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series and plan to add her earlier series to my TBR list. So obviously, I’m not too put off.

Trigger warning: miscarriage

Will I read more of this author? Yes!

Going into “Hive”, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve read a couple of D.L. Orton’s books before and remember enjoying them, so I was excited to leap in, and I was not disappointed!

One of the main reasons I absolutely loved “Hive” was the sweet, pure love story that is set in the realistic world Orton has created. Sometimes it’s hard to find a couple like Diego and Isabel in books. These two have made mistakes, but that doesn’t change how they feel about one another and it never had even after so many years of not seeing one another. Even when Isabel becomes hurt and Diego volunteers to help her, he never takes advantage of the situation, and he makes her feel cared for. I also love how pure and honest they are with each other. Nothing hidden, nothing exaggerated; just honesty and love. Reading from both perspectives gives the reader reassurance that their love is true and wholesome.

Within the other chapters, the reader follows Professor Matthew Hudson and I simply adore his character. He’s scientific, knowledgeable, cares for his niece like his own daughter, and has a lovable sense of dry humor. I loved these chapters where we meet other characters (like Sam and Cassie, Matt’s niece) who add not only a level intelligence to the text (so does Isabel!), but also a balance of lightness and severity of the situation they are in. Time travel and wormholes are not a joking matter, but they personalities were so fun and entertaining to read.

The pacing of the plot was excellent. I never found myself bored. I actually was sad to finish reading because I didn’t want to leave Orton’s world. The time travel and the set up to a dystopian world was perfect! The beginning chapter lured me in to what the future would look like and the time travel back to the past was captivating to find out where it all begin.

I simply cannot wait for the next installment of the “Madders of Time” series!

Orton is a talented author with the ability to create characters you care about, a world where every single aspect is well-thought-out and captivating, and themes that are so relatable to our world today that I found it all easy to connect with and wanted more. I will obviously rate “Hive” a 5 out of 5 stars!

My opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Rocky Mountain Press) for giving me the opportunity to read “Hive”.