Serpent's Return

The Rise of Heroes, Book 1

By: T. L. Heinrich

Narrated by: Jill Crenshaw

Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

One mission. One mistake. 

Alice could do nothing to stop the man who murdered her aunt. So, when the chance to become the vigilante Serpent came her way, she accepted the mantle without hesitation.

But no one ever said vengeance was without consequences.

Alice’s moment of triumph ends in a tragic mistake. Now she and her super-powered allies must fight a villain of their own creation, one with a vendetta against the vigilantes.

Fans of superheroes and kick ass urban fantasy heroines will love this twist on the popular superhero mythos.  

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©2019 Trish L. Heinrich (P)2020 Trish L. Heinrich

Heroes from the 'Hood

Three childhood friends are drawn to a life of vigilantism after they develop strange super powers in this complex story of super-soldier serums, designer drugs and family secrets.
There's plenty of action, lots of backstory to provide rationalization and justification for the characters and a little romance to keep them in touch with "normal" people. It's a well written foundation that leaves lots of loose ends to provide material for the coming sequels.
Generally a good story and I look forward to seeing where the author takes it.

Excellent period piece

I love a good period piece, and Heinrich brings one full of vigorous fun set in the late 50s/early 60s. These are not characters with world-shaking abilities; they're distinctively low-power, which means they can't simply resort to brute force to solving their problems. This is a great, street-level story about characters who are realized as people, not collections of powers. Crenshaw narrates masterfully, with a lively range that kept my interest all the way through. Recommended!

Be prepared

I enjoyed this book but you need to be prepared for two things. First, you will need tissues (well I did anyway a few times but then again I am a cry baby) and second you will want to get the next book in the series. The book doesn't end on a cliff hanger exactly but it definitely continues on to the next book and you will need to get it to see how situations come to an end. This is a surprise as 11 hrs worth of listening you would of thought it would be all wrapped up nicely. Don't get me wrong the author does fit in plenty of action that makes the story fly bye and it isn't your average super hero book where everything has a happy ending, so the plot certainly keeps you on your toes and listening until the end. The story starts with the children and gives you a background story of why they end up doing what they do and then it goes on to how they meet up again and join forces to take down the bad guys of the city. The only disappointing thing is, I don't think the author really explains how they got there powers. Just have the long wait for book two to come out on audible before I find out what the author has in store for the characters and who will come out on top.
Alice's mother dies and rather than stay with an abusive father her Aunt and Uncle take her away from her friends and the only family she ever knew. Years later, with the violence in the city on the rise and drug addiction on the increase two hero's emerge. The same two who saved Alice from a beating the night her aunt took her away. Alice isn't the same scared little girl any more and wants to help, so when once again tragedy strikes and Alice's aunt is killed, Alice joins forces with Shadow and Steel to take back her city. She might not have any powers but with hard work, many hours of training and some special hi-tec gadgets she might stand a chance of taking down the Phantom. She also has the aid of good friends and maybe more importantly vengeance.
I liked the narrator. She did a good job with all the different voices needed for the characters and you could always tell which of them was talking.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.