Speculative Fiction DL Orton

Time Machine Mechanic

Hive by DL Orton: Madders of Time, Book One

Madders of Time · Book One

Hive

A novel by DL Orton

The last refuge.
One impossible second chance.

When the future has nothing left to give, how much would you risk to change the past?

Find your edition Read a sample

eBook · Paperback · Hardcover · Audiobook

2026 IndieReader Discovery Awards
Winner · Science Fiction

The word
from Kirkus

“A lively start to a time-hopping thriller series that deserves some buzz.”

Kirkus Reviews · Read the review

Inside the story

A dying world.
A love that won’t let go.

Isabel and Diego are running out of places to hide. Beyond their failing biodome, rising seas and swarms of microdrones have made the world unlivable. The fragile shelter keeping them alive cannot hold forever.

Then a discovery beneath their feet offers something more dangerous than hope: a way to reach the past.

Changing what happened could save humanity. It could also unravel everything that brought them together. With the present collapsing around them, Isabel and Diego must confront the price of a second chance.

Hive opens the Madders of Time series: science fiction suspense about survival, sacrifice, and love in a world that has almost forgotten what any of them mean.

Time travelDystopian survivalLove & sacrificeHuman & artificial intelligence

Try the first pages

Welcome to Eden-17.

Start with the prologue, then follow the first cracks in the timeline.

Read the excerpt

20-page PDF · Hosted by BookLife · No signup

Prologue · Eden-17 Biodome

“The sodden earth makes a wretched sucking sound each time Diego’s shovel cuts into it.”
From Hive by DL Orton

Your story. Your format.

Make time for Hive.

Read on your screen, turn the pages,
or let the story come to you.

Read it

Choose an eBook, paperback, or hardcover from the available retailers.

Choose a bookstore

Retailer selection opens on Books2Read.

The audiobook

Hear every heartbeat.

Narrated by Noah Michael Levine and Erin deWard.

10 hours, 34 minutes

Listen on Audible

Visit Audible for the audio preview and edition details.

Recognition

An award-winning
first leap.

Follow the timeline

The journey doesn’t end here.

Explore the series site
  1. Hive book cover
  2. Jump book cover
  3. Dome book cover

    Book 03 · Available now

    Dome

    Discover Dome →

    Buy the book

A few things to know

Before you
take the leap.

Is Hive a standalone?

Hive begins an ongoing story. It leads into Jump, followed by Dome, so it is best read as the start of the Madders of Time series.

Should I read Between Two Evils first?

No. Hive is a starting point for new readers. You can explore the related timelines of Between Two Evils afterward.

What kind of science fiction is this?

Expect time travel, a threatened future, and relationships with real consequences. Suspense, romance, and humor share the page with the science-fiction ideas.

Can I try it before buying?

Yes. Read the free BookLife excerpt, or visit the Audible edition for its audio preview.

Stay in this timeline

There’s more ahead.

Join DL Orton’s reader list for release news, book offers, and advance-reading opportunities.

Join the reader list

Unsubscribe whenever you like.
Privacy Policy