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The Vigilantes #3
Serpent's Rise
She's the hero the world needs, and she's training for the rematch of her life...Alice is out for revenge. After narrowly escaping death at the hands of her nemesis, she spends her days living undercover as a crippled heiress. By night, she plans for the moment she can finally take down the Phantasm...
When superpowered children are stolen from their homes, Alice immediately suspects her greatest enemy. As she follows the clues, two men from her past return, clouding her mind and tugging at her heart. With time running out and potential enemies at every turn, Alice must make a choice: continue to hide for a chance at revenge or save the children and announce to the world that the Serpent has returned...
Serpent's Rise is the action-packed third book in a fast-paced superhero series. If you like three-dimensional characters, authentic 1960s settings, and high-stakes suspense, then you'll love Trish Heinrich's electrifying tale.
Buy Serpent's Rise today to suit up for an adventure that fights back!
When superpowered children are stolen from their homes, Alice immediately suspects her greatest enemy. As she follows the clues, two men from her past return, clouding her mind and tugging at her heart. With time running out and potential enemies at every turn, Alice must make a choice: continue to hide for a chance at revenge or save the children and announce to the world that the Serpent has returned...
Serpent's Rise is the action-packed third book in a fast-paced superhero series. If you like three-dimensional characters, authentic 1960s settings, and high-stakes suspense, then you'll love Trish Heinrich's electrifying tale.
Buy Serpent's Rise today to suit up for an adventure that fights back!
307 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2017
5 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Trish Heinrich
34 books205 followersTrish Heinrich’s steamy romance is fueled by caffeine and panic. When not daydreaming about the new book boyfriend she’s creating, Trish is geeking out with her two kids about superheroes, cuddling with her husband or bingeing Lucifer…again.
Devil’s Temptation is her first straight up romance and is the first book in her Celestial Superheroes Series. She writes Urban Fantasy under T.L. Heinrich because there are just too many stories in her brain for one pen name.
You can catch her on Instagram under @trishheinrich, or on Patreon as Trish Heinrich. She doesn’t promise to post every day, but she does promise weird, geeky fun with the occasion man chest thrown in for good measure.
Devil’s Temptation is her first straight up romance and is the first book in her Celestial Superheroes Series. She writes Urban Fantasy under T.L. Heinrich because there are just too many stories in her brain for one pen name.
You can catch her on Instagram under @trishheinrich, or on Patreon as Trish Heinrich. She doesn’t promise to post every day, but she does promise weird, geeky fun with the occasion man chest thrown in for good measure.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 15, 2018
The second book in the historical superhero series.
The book starts two years after the climatic ending of the first book, Serpent’s Sacrifice. It’s 1962 and Alice lost a lot at the end of the previous book. Her two best friends, and fellow superheroes, have left, her mentor is dying, and Alice herself was crippled. During the two years she’s managed to whip her body back into full mobility but emotionally she’s in a bad place. She’s wracked by guilt because she couldn’t stop her nemesis Phantasm’ horrible scheme, and a lot of innocent people died. She’s also deeply hurt by the way her friends abandoned her and already mourning her mentor. She did inherit a large business and the wealth from her mentor, but she has to pretend to be a clueless heiress during the day. Her friend Rose is part of the civil right movement, but Alice is too obsessed with catching Phantasm to notice it. Alice’s new trainer and secretary Miss Jones is very capable; she even goes undercover to spy on Phantasm and trains Alice mercilessly.
Powered children are being born every day and Phantasm and the cabal she works with have nefarious plans for them. They’re kidnapping some of the kids. When a couple of kids disappear from an orphanage Alice is funding, Alice feels responsible and tries to find out what happened to them. At the same time, she’s working to undermine Phantasm’s plans.
Serpent’s Bite is a more violent and darker book than the previous one. Emotionally Alice is in a dark place and some people die despite her best efforts. Also, her friend Lionel seems to be in league with Alice’s nemesis. Rose and Alice’s relationship is also strained.
The characters are well-developed. Alice herself doesn’t have any powers but she has a Kevlar suit and her batons and martial artist’s skills. Rose also make a couple of other gadgets to her. Rose has her own passions, too, she isn’t just a gadget inventor. Uncle Logan and the healer Gerard are also well-drawn.
The story was fast-paced and had some surprises. I really liked most of the book except for the romance elements. However, there were far less romance elements than in the previous book. While the story is mostly told from Alice’s third person point-of-view, there are a couple of short chapters from her nemesis’ POV which told us nicely what the opposition was doing.
I had fun figuring out the references to comics. The mansion where Alice now lives is, of course, a nod to Avengers’ and Xavier’s mansions. Some very familiar names also popped up: Mrs. Frost, Mr. Marsden, Mr. Parker, and of course Uncle Logan. Of course, the whole mentor/student thing is an older troupe than comics and so is going undercover in high society (shades of Zorro here).
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book and recommend the series to any superhero fan.
The book starts two years after the climatic ending of the first book, Serpent’s Sacrifice. It’s 1962 and Alice lost a lot at the end of the previous book. Her two best friends, and fellow superheroes, have left, her mentor is dying, and Alice herself was crippled. During the two years she’s managed to whip her body back into full mobility but emotionally she’s in a bad place. She’s wracked by guilt because she couldn’t stop her nemesis Phantasm’ horrible scheme, and a lot of innocent people died. She’s also deeply hurt by the way her friends abandoned her and already mourning her mentor. She did inherit a large business and the wealth from her mentor, but she has to pretend to be a clueless heiress during the day. Her friend Rose is part of the civil right movement, but Alice is too obsessed with catching Phantasm to notice it. Alice’s new trainer and secretary Miss Jones is very capable; she even goes undercover to spy on Phantasm and trains Alice mercilessly.
Powered children are being born every day and Phantasm and the cabal she works with have nefarious plans for them. They’re kidnapping some of the kids. When a couple of kids disappear from an orphanage Alice is funding, Alice feels responsible and tries to find out what happened to them. At the same time, she’s working to undermine Phantasm’s plans.
Serpent’s Bite is a more violent and darker book than the previous one. Emotionally Alice is in a dark place and some people die despite her best efforts. Also, her friend Lionel seems to be in league with Alice’s nemesis. Rose and Alice’s relationship is also strained.
The characters are well-developed. Alice herself doesn’t have any powers but she has a Kevlar suit and her batons and martial artist’s skills. Rose also make a couple of other gadgets to her. Rose has her own passions, too, she isn’t just a gadget inventor. Uncle Logan and the healer Gerard are also well-drawn.
The story was fast-paced and had some surprises. I really liked most of the book except for the romance elements. However, there were far less romance elements than in the previous book. While the story is mostly told from Alice’s third person point-of-view, there are a couple of short chapters from her nemesis’ POV which told us nicely what the opposition was doing.
I had fun figuring out the references to comics. The mansion where Alice now lives is, of course, a nod to Avengers’ and Xavier’s mansions. Some very familiar names also popped up: Mrs. Frost, Mr. Marsden, Mr. Parker, and of course Uncle Logan. Of course, the whole mentor/student thing is an older troupe than comics and so is going undercover in high society (shades of Zorro here).
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book and recommend the series to any superhero fan.
November 29, 2017
After escaping death at the hands of a fiendish villain named Phantasm, Alice steps back from the superhero limelight. She heals and trains and keeps digging to find out her nemesis' plans. Powered children are kidnapped, and Alice believes it to be the work of Phantasm. Her fury focuses her revenge, but when the two men who mean the most to her return, her emotions get out of control. Will she be able to take out Phantasm and save the children before their powers are stolen or even worse?
This second book in the thrilling superhero hero series from Trish Heinrich is as fantastic as the first. We're in the 1960s with beehives, civil rights protests, and bell bottoms. The mood of the era is captured not only with what's going on in the characters' lives, but with their ideals and WWII still fresh in people's heads. The action is detailed and fast-paced. I love seeing Alice as Serpent -who doesn't have any powers- take on those that do. She's strong, determined, and has amazing heart. There's the mystery of what Phantasm is doing, and even more so, why there are so many more powered children showing up. Awesome world building, and it has the potential to grow and become a huge series. What an ending too! I won't give anything away, but it wasn't what I expected... in a good way.
I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This second book in the thrilling superhero hero series from Trish Heinrich is as fantastic as the first. We're in the 1960s with beehives, civil rights protests, and bell bottoms. The mood of the era is captured not only with what's going on in the characters' lives, but with their ideals and WWII still fresh in people's heads. The action is detailed and fast-paced. I love seeing Alice as Serpent -who doesn't have any powers- take on those that do. She's strong, determined, and has amazing heart. There's the mystery of what Phantasm is doing, and even more so, why there are so many more powered children showing up. Awesome world building, and it has the potential to grow and become a huge series. What an ending too! I won't give anything away, but it wasn't what I expected... in a good way.
I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2018
Strong story, well developed characters, intense action scenes, and several heart breaking moments. This is a story to check out if you like superheroes and need to read something that isn't from Marvel or DC.
Strong story, well developed characters, intense action scenes, and several heart breaking moments. This is a story to check out if you like superheroes and need to read something that isn't from Marvel or DC.
Strong story, well developed characters, intense action scenes, and several heart breaking moments. This is a story to check out if you like superheroes and need to read something that isn't from Marvel or DC.
November 29, 2017
I gave this novel 5 stars for a few reasons. I truly felt that this was Heinrich’s stronger novel so far in the series, and I can’t wait to watch her out-do herself and grow with Alice and her other characters.
Heinrich really brought a new dimension to this novel with the female characters. I love Rose especially. While she plays the part of the brilliant scientist and weapons inventor, she has a spark of her own. She’s got her own “missions” to undertake, as she chooses to participate in rallies and protests that mirror the Civil Rights movement. I was worried that she would be held back, but her character arc shone at the right times and added more than I imagined to the story.
Miss Jones is another delightful addition to the team. She’s the level-headed secretary and double that Alice needs to succeed. Imagine if Batman’s Alfred was just as involved in missions as Batman was. She helps Alice transition into her role as Mrs. Frost’s heir and gets Alice’s head in the game quite frequently in the novel. It’s nice to see women of different ages and abilities kick ass in this novel.
The emotion in this novel was also well done. You can’t really have a superhero novel without some high stakes and some heavy-duty knife-twisting in the back. It feels like a hallmark of superheroes that grace our comic books. Woof. And this novel is no exception. Alice goes through a lot of ups and downs in this novel, and Heinrich kept me wanting to read more. Her depictions of physical and emotional pain were spot on.
As always, the fight scenes do not disappoint. You get an account of what’s going on blow for blow which I admire a lot. As a writer, this isn’t my strong suit, so I bow down to the writers who can pull this off.
I already enjoyed the first novel, Serpent’s Sacrifice, so I was prepared to thoroughly enjoy Serpent’s Rise–and I did! This novel digs deeper into every character in the cast, provides a lot of sudden plot twists, and truly rises as an excellent addition to the super hero genre. I can’t wait for her third novel to come out in January! She left me hanging on this one, and anything could happen at this point.
Definitely read Serpent’s Sacrifice first to understand what’s going on in this novel. There are some unavoidable spoilers, so do yourself a favor and read the books in order.
Heinrich really brought a new dimension to this novel with the female characters. I love Rose especially. While she plays the part of the brilliant scientist and weapons inventor, she has a spark of her own. She’s got her own “missions” to undertake, as she chooses to participate in rallies and protests that mirror the Civil Rights movement. I was worried that she would be held back, but her character arc shone at the right times and added more than I imagined to the story.
Miss Jones is another delightful addition to the team. She’s the level-headed secretary and double that Alice needs to succeed. Imagine if Batman’s Alfred was just as involved in missions as Batman was. She helps Alice transition into her role as Mrs. Frost’s heir and gets Alice’s head in the game quite frequently in the novel. It’s nice to see women of different ages and abilities kick ass in this novel.
The emotion in this novel was also well done. You can’t really have a superhero novel without some high stakes and some heavy-duty knife-twisting in the back. It feels like a hallmark of superheroes that grace our comic books. Woof. And this novel is no exception. Alice goes through a lot of ups and downs in this novel, and Heinrich kept me wanting to read more. Her depictions of physical and emotional pain were spot on.
As always, the fight scenes do not disappoint. You get an account of what’s going on blow for blow which I admire a lot. As a writer, this isn’t my strong suit, so I bow down to the writers who can pull this off.
I already enjoyed the first novel, Serpent’s Sacrifice, so I was prepared to thoroughly enjoy Serpent’s Rise–and I did! This novel digs deeper into every character in the cast, provides a lot of sudden plot twists, and truly rises as an excellent addition to the super hero genre. I can’t wait for her third novel to come out in January! She left me hanging on this one, and anything could happen at this point.
Definitely read Serpent’s Sacrifice first to understand what’s going on in this novel. There are some unavoidable spoilers, so do yourself a favor and read the books in order.
August 12, 2019
(This review originally appeared at Mad Scientist Journal.)
Serpent’s Rise is the second book in Trish Heinrich’s Vigilantes series, following after Serpent’s Sacrifice. In this book, set in the early 1960s, Alice has mostly hung up her costume, albeit reluctantly, in favor of navigating high society and the business world. But she still desires revenge against the Phantasm, whose actions caused death and mayhem in Jet City in the previous book.
This book has less super hero action than the previous installment, especially as Alice deals with the loss of her mentor and the return of some of her previous allies. The emotional fallout from these events comprises a larger chunk of the plot, though there is still plenty of action strewn throughout as the Serpent attempts to locate missing children and stop the Phantasm. The story also interweaves social issues of the time throughout the plot, much like the last book did.
Serpent’s Rise introduces new individuals with power, most of whom are children and young teenagers. While only one of these characters fights alongside the Serpent, he does so to good effect. And Alice/the Serpent has her usual support staff from the previous novel, who are all dealing with issues of their own as well.
If you enjoyed Serpent’s Sacrifice, you’ll likely enjoy this return to the adventures of the Serpent. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series, as this book leaves open plenty of avenues for future stories!
The author provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
Serpent’s Rise is the second book in Trish Heinrich’s Vigilantes series, following after Serpent’s Sacrifice. In this book, set in the early 1960s, Alice has mostly hung up her costume, albeit reluctantly, in favor of navigating high society and the business world. But she still desires revenge against the Phantasm, whose actions caused death and mayhem in Jet City in the previous book.
This book has less super hero action than the previous installment, especially as Alice deals with the loss of her mentor and the return of some of her previous allies. The emotional fallout from these events comprises a larger chunk of the plot, though there is still plenty of action strewn throughout as the Serpent attempts to locate missing children and stop the Phantasm. The story also interweaves social issues of the time throughout the plot, much like the last book did.
Serpent’s Rise introduces new individuals with power, most of whom are children and young teenagers. While only one of these characters fights alongside the Serpent, he does so to good effect. And Alice/the Serpent has her usual support staff from the previous novel, who are all dealing with issues of their own as well.
If you enjoyed Serpent’s Sacrifice, you’ll likely enjoy this return to the adventures of the Serpent. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series, as this book leaves open plenty of avenues for future stories!
The author provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
November 27, 2017
I love it! My third read from author Trish Heinrich and it won’t be my last (she just needs to write more books). My first read was the prequel novella Serpent (1939), which took off like a jet plane from an aircraft carrier and continued to fly until the end of the novella. Serpent’s Sacrifice picked up the story 8 years later in 1947 and in 4 chapters jumps to 1959. Serpent's Rise begins in 1962. Extremely well written, the characters, well developed. I’m a character reader, I get into the characters. Who and what they are. Why they do the things they do. The things that make a reader get invested into the characters and thereby the book and this book has it all! There is so much left unsaid in these 3 books that I can see the story being backfilled in later works. GREAT READ! Now I have to wait for the next book. "I received a free copy of this book with no obligation to post a review. This is my honest review"
October 30, 2017
Two years have past since the Phantasm’s Park Side Massacre; in that time Alice has had nothing but time to plot and prepare, alone. Her partners have left and there is a wedge between her and her best friend. Leading her double-life, Alice barely has time to notice - until Phantasm returns and her world turns upside-down.
I enjoyed this book, it is a fast-paced superhero read with enough of a love-triangle to keep things interesting. As a sequel, this installation was even better than the first, the tempo was consistent throughout. I still love the time period, it’s fun to lose the modern-day technology and let the author create her own tech - really enjoyable. I look forward to the next book.
I enjoyed this book, it is a fast-paced superhero read with enough of a love-triangle to keep things interesting. As a sequel, this installation was even better than the first, the tempo was consistent throughout. I still love the time period, it’s fun to lose the modern-day technology and let the author create her own tech - really enjoyable. I look forward to the next book.
November 5, 2017
YA superhero story. Some action and a lot of drama. While it is a stand alone story, I feel that you will enjoy it more with the backstory provided by the first two books (Serpent and Serpent's Sacrifice). Having read all three, I found the story quite delightful.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we start to deceive." from Marmion by Sir Walter Scott. There are plenty of people attempting to deceive in this story. And a tangled web it does conceive. There are many types of deception. But self-deception is the worst of all. Reminds me of Aesop's Fable: The Dog and Its Reflection.
I received am ARC of this book from the author; however, the review is my honest opinion.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we start to deceive." from Marmion by Sir Walter Scott. There are plenty of people attempting to deceive in this story. And a tangled web it does conceive. There are many types of deception. But self-deception is the worst of all. Reminds me of Aesop's Fable: The Dog and Its Reflection.
I received am ARC of this book from the author; however, the review is my honest opinion.
November 7, 2017
Absolutely loved it! The character development is superb! The love interest was toned down for book two which was much needed from book one.
Trish Heinrich's fighting scenes are clean and easy to read and follow along. The slow progress if her learning was not hard to understand nor was it difficult to get through.
I absolutely love both books but this is my favorite by far!
Trish Heinrich's fighting scenes are clean and easy to read and follow along. The slow progress if her learning was not hard to understand nor was it difficult to get through.
I absolutely love both books but this is my favorite by far!
November 3, 2017
Having been raised in the sixties, I absolutely love this book! I found it to be an originally written story. I highly recommend it for a good time! I was given this book for free and I am writing this review of my own free will.
January 17, 2018
Great superhero sequel. Same great characters and themes as the first book, but in this one Alice has to grow up and navigate her complicated life and place in the world. Looking forward to the next one!
August 30, 2018
Trish has done one hell of a job with this novel! It was so action packed I couldn't put it down. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotional ups and downs as the story unfolded. This is a great urban fantasy novel and I expect great things from Trish's writing. I look forward to more!
November 10, 2017
Loved this entire series and with much more to come i cant wait it has me hooked i recommend this book to everyone
November 7, 2017
Another outstanding story by this author! Or,rather a continuation..A novice hero coming into her own,while battling heart ache,loss,and the overwhelming desire for vengeance on her cold-hearted,murderous foe! great plot,characters,but I know more is coming in next book...That's when I expect the serpent to rise and strike!
Merged review:
A heroine once abandoned joins with family and friends to rise above hardship,pain,and loss to face her ultimate foe!!Second in the serpent series,this one adds more suspense and mystery before facing off with a action-filled climax!Great writing,plotline..A winner,A GOOD READ.
Merged review:
A heroine once abandoned joins with family and friends to rise above hardship,pain,and loss to face her ultimate foe!!Second in the serpent series,this one adds more suspense and mystery before facing off with a action-filled climax!Great writing,plotline..A winner,A GOOD READ.
January 12, 2018
A very good sequel
Supers - powered and not. A good follow up to the first book, with a couple twists thrown in at the end. Some historic references to actual tensions of early 1960s America.
Supers - powered and not. A good follow up to the first book, with a couple twists thrown in at the end. Some historic references to actual tensions of early 1960s America.
March 31, 2018
That sex scene tho
WOO! *fans self* Get it, Alice!
But seriously, Trish Heinrich has such a knack for descriptive writing that really creates visuals. This book was amazing!
WOO! *fans self* Get it, Alice!
But seriously, Trish Heinrich has such a knack for descriptive writing that really creates visuals. This book was amazing!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews