Science Fiction Trivia

[Disembodied]

The Black Cloud from Fred Hoyle's The Black Cloud is, I think, larger than the Earth.

[ffutures]

The Black Cloud from Fred Hoyle's The Black Cloud is, I think, larger than the Earth.

I think it's a couple of AU across so definitely! That's number 3, and have another Meaningless Bonus Point for picking another of the ones I had in mind when I asked the question.

[ffutures]

Hint - comic book movies have provided at least one example, though it was a little smaller in the actual comics.

[Nite Owl]

Thought of this answer when you posted the original question but thought it a bit off as his size can be altered by himself to fit the circumstance. The answer is - Galactus, Devourer of Worlds - from the Marvel Universe of either Comics or Cinematic. Though, in my humble opinion, the comics are much preferable for his many size related incarnations.

[ffutures]

Thought of this answer when you posted the original question but thought it a bit off as his size can be altered by himself to fit the circumstance. The answer is - Galactus, Devourer of Worlds - from the Marvel Universe of either Comics or Cinematic. Though, in my humble opinion, the comics are much preferable for his many size related incarnations.

Yes, that's another one, and the one I was thinking of. Have a meaningless bonus point!

One to go, and another clue - 1930s SF, think of eggs... A similar idea was used in a 1950s novel, and in the last book of a tetralogy in the 1980s.

[ffutures]

OK, another clue - think of planets as eggs!

[spud42]

are you thinking about the DrWho episodes where the moon is an egg for some interstellar space dragon?

[ffutures]

are you thinking about the DrWho episodes where the moon is an egg for some interstellar space dragon?

No, that one is smaller than a planet - although we never see what it looks like when it's fully grown - but you're on the right lines. Have a meaningless bonus point for that!

The authors of the stories I mentioned are Jack Williamson, Nelson Bond, and Jack Chalker.

[ffutures]

OK, I'll give this until tomorrow, then if nobody else comes up with a better answer I'm giving it to Spud, who came closest to a fifth example. I might as well add that with the information I've provided this is fairly easy to find on line.

[spud42]

seeing as you seem hell bent on foisting the kipper on me ...

The Soul Rider series Jack Chalker world and flux?? .. not read it and from the mixed reviews i don think i will bother...

[ffutures]

OK, all three of the stories I mentioned have planets (usually the Earth) hatching or about to hatch huge creatures, and incidentally killing everyone that lives on them.

Jack Williamson's "Born of the Sun" (March 1934 Astounding) – in which the Sun is living, the planets are its eggs, and Earth hatches as another sun.

Nelson Bond's "And Lo! The Bird" (September 1950 Blue Book) - a giant bird from outer space hatches the planets
see https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questio ... d-in-space

Jack Chalker, the Four Lords of the Diamond series
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Lords_of_the_Diamond
"the Coldah, who are planet-sized beings who enjoy merging with a planet and changing it into a human-habitable one for reasons known only to them." This one may not actually qualify - I remember the creatures as being bigger than planets when one of them emerges, but Wikipedia seems to be saying they're smaller, and I'm damned if I'm going to read the books again to check, they are Chalker at his worst.

OK, as I said Spud came closest, and I hurl the poison chalice in your general direction.

[spud42]

name 5 close encounters with black holes. usual rules 1 per author/universe and 1 answer per post... a decent space with no answers negates this rule..etc....

event horizon is an example and now ruled out..lol meaningless poins handed out for any reason..

Release the Kracken !!!

[RockDoctor]

name 5 close encounters with black holes.

One of the "Man-Kzin Wars" novellas has a crew in a 3-person GP/trader (not a Cobra, but something similar, GP #2 hull) chasing down a strange astrophysical phenomenon, with a side plot of post-war politics and the metaphorical stringing up of collaborators from the lampposts. The astrophysical phenomenon turns out to be a Slaver-Tnuctipun war relic comprising a quantum black hole which was radiating Hawking radiation in the hard-X/ soft-gamma range.
I had to research the name : "Inconstant Star", by Poul Anderson.

Release the Kracken !!!

This one? https://twitter.com/KrakenRum
(I didn't know they had an advertising campaign on until now! Perfectly fine base for a Gargleblaster.)

[Disembodied]

In Michael Swanwick's short story "Ginungagap", humanity is contacted by aliens via a small black hole located in the outer reaches of the solar system. They are - apparently - offering technology which would let human beings travel through the singularity.

[Nite Owl]

Role playing Captain Obvious here but the Disney film The Black Hole would seem to be in order.