3 a.m.: Premium

Henry Bins, Books 1-5

By: Nick Pirog

Narrated by: Jamie Renell

Henry Bins is only awake one hour a day.

Can you imagine only being awake for one hour each day? Can you imagine having to cram your entire existence into sixty measly minutes? Two minutes to shower. Three minutes to eat. Five minutes to watch TV. And in that 3600 seconds you have awake, imagine that you have to figure out:

• Who murdered the woman across the street? (You suspect it was the President of the United States, but can you prove it?)
• Why did your mom abandoned you when you were six years old? (Was it because she worked for the CIA? Or was it because of your condition?)
• What caused your strange condition where you wake up at exactly 3:00 a.m. then fall asleep exactly an hour later, then sleep for twenty-three hours? (Were you experimented on? If so, by who?)
• And most importantly, what is Project Sandman?

Welcome to Henry Bins’s life.

©2016 Nick Pirog (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Fun But Gimmick Wears Out

As you'll learn on the first page, Henry Bins, the hero's bundled with a condition which allows him only one hour a day awake. Since the first three novels are written in the first person, well it's a heroic lift by Nick Pirog token this mystery novel going. Pirog's really inventive but by book 4 the basic plot conceit becomes tedious so he develops another character to live through the other 23 hours of the day. That's where the lifter's effort gets shaky. Added to an overly cute relationship between Henry and animals and well... be ready to leave disbelief waaaaaay far behind. Is this a young adult series?

Pirog's particularly crafty in creating cliff hangers to tug readers from book to book. By the end of Book 5, my disbelief fizzled and interest in how the characters could cling to the cliff went away. Jamie Renell makes the read effortless and wonderfully accessible. But I'm content to leave Henry Bins asleep.

good but not great

I got this omnibus of stories free through audible plus. The premise in general is pretty good, but the fact that the main character not only talks to his cat, but actually understands him and gets valuable information, that's important to the development of the story, from him seems to be stretching it.... also the way this guy's some kind of James bond/Sherlock Holmes type and saving the world and all seems a little out there, especially with him only being awake one hour a day, or night (as it's from 3 to 4 am ). The narrator, as you might read in other reviews, does have a weird way if breathing while reading. Another thing is that he doesn't really puts on voices as much, so at times it's kinda hard.

you'll wanna stay up 23 hours just to listen.

I enjoyed the series and characters overall. my only issue is that the series is left with somewhat of a cliff hanger. I also was irritated by all the dialogue between Henry Bins and his cat. once or twice is charming but this bit went on for the entire series.

Very entertaining

These are a very fun listen. Just roll with the cat talking. It’s a good ride.

Good story and very entertaining

I didn't think I would like a story about a guy who is only awake an hour a day but I loved the Thomas Prescott series and decided to give it a try. I loved these books! The animals and his interaction with them is the sort of thing I enjoy. It definitely brings humor into the mix. I haven't read/listened to a Nick Pirog story that I didn't enjoy and these are no exception! Interesting storylines and wonderful characters.