Street Brotherhood: Rise of the Underground

by A.D. Metcalfe

It's 1975. Three years since Johnny Álvarez fled the brutality of his home to vanish on the streets of New York City. As he assembles the Dogs of War, his disparate gang of urban youth, they become the target of a larger, more menacing crew. To avoid Dos Cruces’ attacks, the Dogs must use wit and strategy.

Johnny becomes involved with Marco, a tempestuous drug supplier who inspires admiration, but also rueful reminiscence of Johnny’s father. His demands challenge Johnny’s morals, but the payout is hard to ignore. As is Johnny’s aptitude for carrying out his lethal tasks.

Amid his nefarious entanglements, Johnny falls for Jessica. She is witty and self-assured, opening him to normalcy and tenderness for the first time. But as his worlds spin ever closer, will he escape the brutality of his past or be forced to embrace it?

"The writing is raw, sharp, and unapologetic. The dialogue snapped with energy, and the banter between the boys felt real in a way that made me smile even when the situation was grim...Street Brotherhood is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves gritty coming-of-age tales, stories about loyalty, or New York narratives that don’t romanticize but reveal. It’s tough, funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at once."
—Literary Titan

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[Literary Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Street Brotherhood follows Johnny Álvarez, a teenage boy scraping by in 1970s New York City, navigating a dangerous life built on loyalty, survival, and the blurred lines between family and gang. What begins with high school hallways and subway tunnels quickly grows into a tale of ambition and brotherhood. Johnny’s hunger for stability and belonging pushes him into riskier choices, often with consequences that ripple through his crew, the Dogs of War. The book plunges deep into the grit of underground culture, giving us a fast-moving and often unsettling look at what it means to dream of more when the deck is stacked against you.

The writing is raw, sharp, and unapologetic. The dialogue snapped with energy, and the banter between the boys felt real in a way that made me smile even when the situation was grim. At times, the violence was harsh, but it didn’t feel gratuitous. It felt necessary, a reflection of the world these characters had no choice but to inhabit. The author’s pacing kept me on edge, and I often caught myself reading longer than I meant to because I wanted to see what Johnny would do next. There’s also a tenderness in how the author explores Johnny’s hidden vulnerabilities, and that contrast hit me harder than I expected.

I admired Johnny, but he frustrated me, too. His choices were reckless, even selfish, yet I couldn’t help rooting for him. That’s what made the story powerful. It didn’t paint him as a hero, and it didn’t excuse him either. The book forced me to sit with the messy reality of survival, where the lines between right and wrong blur. The scenes with family trauma and manipulation especially got under my skin. They left me angry, unsettled, but also deeply invested. This is the kind of storytelling that sticks with you, because it pokes at uncomfortable truths.

Street Brotherhood is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves gritty coming-of-age tales, stories about loyalty, or New York narratives that don’t romanticize but reveal. It’s tough, funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at once.

[Alana Pagnotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 1970s tragedy set in New York City. Despite being the leader of a gang, the main character, Johnny is actually an endearing teenager who I rooted for while knowing his deeply troubled past would most likely take him down. I’m not sure how a protagonist who does such bad things can be a sympathetic character? Maybe it was his horrible upbringing which was well established in A.D Metcalf’s first book, Street. I don’t think that it is necessary to read it to understand this one, but it is highly recommend. It wasn’t until nearly the end of Street Brotherhood that I realized that it is also a love story. It’s a love story that portrays the heartbreaking consequences of the bad boy good girl relationship. I think young adults would like this story and any Gen X, especially if they like stories about gritty New York in the 70s.

[David Carriere]

Street Brotherhood: Rise of the Underground is a gripping, gritty coming of age story set in 1970s New York. Metcalfe captures the pulse of the city and the dangerous allure of the streets, balancing intense action with authentic character development. Johnny Álvarez is a compelling protagonist his struggles, loyalties, and moral dilemmas feel raw and immediate. The story combines adrenaline fueled conflict with moments of tenderness, creating a narrative that’s as emotional as it is thrilling. Fans of urban drama, gang dynamics, and morally complex characters will find this book impossible to put down.

[Nikki Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The intensity and action increased in this second book of the series. Grabbed my attention and kept me the whole way through. Unlike any other book I have read which made me appreciate it that much more.

[Todd A Snider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series! Street Brotherhood was even more action-packed and tension filled than the first book. A darker version of your standard coming-of-age novel. Johnny Alvarez is more than an antihero. He stands apart as a true urban outlaw.