Review of Now You Can Worry!

[Stephanie Mounce]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Now You Can Worry!" by Richard Ferrero Sr..]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Climate change is touted as being caused by humans. Factories pollute the air and water. Cow flatulence causes methane gas that heats the air. We are told to “go green” and reduce our use of fossil fuels. However, is there something else that could be causing the problem? Now You Can Worry! introduces the theory that the Earth’s axis is changing. Like a child’s spinning top, the planet is tilting and causing the glaciers and polar ice to melt, raising the sea levels. What does this mean for the planet’s human population?

Scientists claim the magnetic fields of the planet swapped north and south polarity, causing the land masses to break apart into separate continents. Susan Shepherd works as the head geologist at a New York Earth Observation facility. September 22nd, 2025, Susan sees data showing seismic activity but cannot determine where the epicenter is located. Susan contacts multiple facilities that also report that they are having the same issue. She sees a breaking news report of airplanes having problems with their artificial horizon gauges, the instrument landing systems, and compasses. She forms a hypothesis about the Earth shifting, which she confirms two days later.

Over the following days, massive earthquakes rip through the world, volcanoes become active, and tsunamis crash along the coasts of the world. Anyone who doesn’t evacuate or cannot get to higher ground perishes. Susan contacts her family members to plan their escape from the chaos the planet is unleashing upon the population. Her brother, Tucker, says they can move to a place in Canada near a town called Invermere. By October 3rd, seven adults and three dogs were living in the woods. Will they survive?

Now You Can Worry! is an intriguing science fiction story following a family’s struggle to survive in isolation. National Emergency Broadcasting messages are portrayed realistically. They add tension to the growing threat to lives. Multiple devastating events continue throughout the story, showing how life has been changed. The economic impact is shocking and adds depth to the story. The difficult journey and avoiding discovery are issues that threaten the family’s safety. They also have to be aware of wildlife wandering into their campsite.

Now You Can Worry! would benefit from another round of editing. I found over ten errors. The details in the story drag down the pace. For example, the first chapter describes a truck and an R.V. The second chapter is like a travel magazine of all the places that Tucker and Christine Shepherd have visited in the past. The active story content doesn’t begin until the third chapter. Then the overwhelming scientific data distracts from the plot.

I rate Now You Can Worry! three out of five stars. The slow pace and the editing were the reasons I deducted two stars. I struggled to follow the plot, and the interaction with characters just didn’t stand out in the book. I would have liked to see more about what experiences the characters dealt with living off the grid.

If you are interested in geology and the scientific theory involving the Earth’s rotation, Now You Can Worry! could be appealing. This book is better suited for young adult fans of books that feature a dystopian future.

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Now You Can Worry!
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[Umesh Bhatt]

I read science fictions but the idea of climate change due to Earth's axis tilting or other such phenomenon is a new thing to me. This book will definitely interest the Geologists or other scientists who are working in the related fields.
Thanks for an exhaustive review.

[Leonie Vermaak]

This sounds very interesting...It's sad that that the plot gets overwhelmed by things like the scientific data and places they visited. The idea of the whole narrative is excellent and something we should be concerned about at this stage, I'd say. Definitely adding this to my TBR list. Thanks for a detailed and great review.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I'm not sure it's a responsible thing to do to give us an excuse to not be kinder towards nature. But fiction is a free realm, I guess. I liked how balanced your review is.