D.L. Orton

Between Two Evils

Best-Selling Award-Winning Trilogy

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"Engaging, Funny, Romantic & Harrowing"
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

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"Well Written and Deftly Crafted"
—Midwest Book Review

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"The Best of the Best"
—A BookLife Great Indie Star

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"Outstanding Read"
—San Francisco Review of Books

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"Refreshingly funny blend of sci-fi, romance, action,
suspense and so much more!"
Reader's Favorite

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"Rich, Detailed, Fast-Paced, and Intelligent"
Literary Picks

Between Two Evils Book 1

Available as: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover, & Audiobook!

After reconnecting with the one-that-got-away—and then losing him in a pandemic—middle-aged Iz struggles to survive in a remote mountain cabin. As loneliness and despair set in, she finds hope in caring for abandoned pets—until a man appears and offers her a one-way trip to the past.

With humanity teetering on the edge, she gives up everything in an attempt to alter the dystopian present—and see her missing lover once more.

As time runs out, she’s whisked into a coffin-like machine set to plunge deep into her past. (A neural net insists she is humankind’s best hope. No one knows why.) They neglect to mention the time machine has been activated once before—with deadly results.

Miraculously, she awakens on a pristine beach—buck naked and suffering radiation-like side-effects—but 20 years younger! With only hours to live, she must persuade a young man to modify their future relationship and thereby set off a chain of events that will prevent the pandemic.

Our young hero falls hard for her (what guy could resist a smart, middle-aged woman in a newly acquired vixen’s body?) until she blurts out that she’s from the future and here to “fix” him.

Turns out, it’s not him that needs fixing; it’s her—and it’s far too late for that.

Or is it?

Reviews

A delightfully fun time-travel adventure that spans years and universes.

Isabel is facing the consequences of her self-destructive behavior: she’s freshly divorced and on the edge of losing her life’s work. Things look up when she’s reunited with her long-ago love Diego, but their renewed relationship begins with and is punctuated by disasters.

Physics professor Matt is conscripted to unravel the mystery of an impossible object that is causing the perils threatening the lovers. Matt and his team use technology sent from the future to determine that the key to saving the world is personal rather than global: it depends, somehow, on the enduring love between Diego and Isabel.

“Orton weaves an intricate, multi-dimensional tale of heartache, hope, and love.”

 “This is science-fiction, it is romance, it is action and adventure. There is something here for everyone.”

“Overall this is one of the best indie books I’ve read over the last year.”

“…as close to perfect as it gets.”

“This is an addictive adventure, that just would not leave my mind.”

—Goodreads
4.01 Overall Star Rating  – 960 ratings – 253 reviews

Between Two Evils Book 2

Available as: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover, & Audiobook!

When a faulty time machine deposits Diego at the top of a towering evergreen, he knows he’s in the wrong place—but has no idea he’s also in the wrong time. Naked and shivering in the primeval forest, he attempts to climb down—but slips, whacks his head on a branch, and tumbles into oblivion.

He awakens inside a darkened room, crippled and disheartened, and must come to grips with the realization that he is marooned in a bleak alternate future. In this universe, what remains of the human race is trapped inside a handful of aging biodomes. With his mission failed, his world destroyed, and the one woman he loves dead, he can find no reason to go on living.

Except Lani, the emotionally scarred doctor who must put Diego’s broken body back together, refuses to let him die, and as Diego heals, their relationship becomes… complicated. He struggles to let go of the past but is unable to get Isabel out of his head—or his heart. Just when it seems he may be able to find some measure of happiness in a world teetering on the edge of extinction…

Another note arrives from his past: Isabel is alive—but not for long. Find the time machine, and go home before it’s too late…

Reviews

“It was well-written and definitely leaves the reader wanting more!”

—Online Book Club

“D.L. Orton has a genuine talent for creating interesting, likeable, multi-layered characters”

 “D.L. Orton creates a world that I do not want to leave!”

“Heart breaking at times, funny, smart, and bloody-well told.”

Lost Time by DL Orton is definitely one of the best post-apocalyptic novels I have ever read.”

—Goodreads
4.29 Overall Star Rating |

Between Two Evils Book 3

Available as: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover, & Audiobook!

If someone took everything you live for, how far would you go to get it back? From award-winning author D. L. ORTON comes book three in the Between Two Evils series… Shannon fights to stay alive inside a rogue biodome and discovers something totally unexpected… Peter. Lani is forced into the role of the reluctant heroine but rediscovers her street-kid mojo and sets out to find everything she’s lost. Diego receives another dirty sock (and a note) from the poorly aimed fireball express: “The window between universes is closing.” If Diego has any hope of getting back to Iz, he must get to the Magic Kingdom and power up the time machine before it’s too late. What could possibly go wrong?

Reviews

“Another appealing series outing with plenty of fix-it energy.”

Kirkus Review

“It truly sets a high bar in entertainment.”

 “Dead Time is a quick read but is full of emotion and details that you will not want to put it down until you finish.”

“I have fallen in love with the unique love story of Diego and Isabel, and I want to know what happens next!”

“…held me captivated until the end of the book.”

—Goodreads
4.56 Overall Star Rating |

Extras

Illustrator

Micah McDonald does somewhat whimsical pencil drawings when he’s not working or playing League of Legends.

Characters

Isabel Sanborn

Isabel is cynical, straight-shooting, geneticist, brainy, attractive, athletic, can be domineering, successful, capable, creative, likes word play, likes to be in control, willing to take risks to get what she wants, has some regrets, loves animals, in inclined to see the fault in others before the fault in herself, has had no successful long-term relationships with men.

Diego Nadales

Diego grew up in Costa Rica, swears in Spanish, is a great cook, athletic (mostly soccer), calm, hopeful, forgives easily, has some regrets, can be stubborn, doesn’t show his hand until he has to, has a strong moral compass, has been in love with Isabel since the first time he kissed her.

Matt Hudson

Matt is a fifty-something professor and physicist. (Shannon calls him “Madders” in the Bubble World.) He grew up outside London and has recently “come out” as gay (and he’s good with that!) Although Madders has a ‘unique’ sense of fashion (and is a terrible cook!), he likes kids, puzzles, and challenges. Unfortunately, he’s also extremely claustrophobic. Matt grew up working on single-engine planes so he could afford to fly them. He’s an instrument-rated pilot who can fix just about anything.

Tego Nadales

Tego is young (19 when we first meet him), idealistic, patient, earnest, funny, and driven. Sometimes he over-analyses things and is easily hurt. He’s had less tragedy in his life than his older counterpart, Diego, and is more resilient when he eventually falls in love. Perhaps Isabel DID succeed?

Dave Kirkland

Dave is above all ambitious, but also unapologetic, forceful, painfully persistent, swears in front of anyone, rich (or wants people to think he is), dresses well, has an expensive lifestyle, drives a Tesla, but seems to be covering up something. Isabel is his weakness, and he WANTS her (but he can never seem to keep her happy).

Rick

Rick owns Rick’s Café on the beach at La Isla. He’s very black, Jamaican, speaks with a British accent, has very nice manners, and seems to know something that the other characters don’t…

Love Song

A thousand tears falling like the rain,
Can’t wash away the pain,
Of goodbye…

That’s how Isabel’s goodbye letter to Tego begins at the end of Crossing In Time. 

It’s a line from the love song: Manoa Rain by Rob Schwend (performed by Rob Schwend & Gary Kewley.)

Manoa Rain was originally released as a single in 1985 and then on the album Standing On The Edge Of Time in 1986. The song was popular in Hawaii (and Japan!) and was often heard on the local radio stations.

As of June 24th, 2015, the song became available on iTunes (along with the rest of the remastered album, including a couple other great love songs!), and there’s a recently recorded version of Manoa Rain there too.

Mahalo to Rob Schwend for allowing me to use a line of his lyrics in Crossing in Time.

You saved me too, Rob, and I like to think that in some other universe we got it right.