This book would be older than the 50's or 60's, when I read it. It has a planet-destroying entity/creature who tries to destroy a planet. The people on the planet (not earth?) fight back and drive it off. The creature learns to counter the attack and comes back. Then the people learn to rebuff the creature's new attack. This goes back and forth until they are throwing worlds at each other, growing stronger and smarter after each attack. I would like to read it again if still available. Thank You!
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3Sounds interesting! Do you recall the creature's motive for destroying planets? Did it eat planets, or was it annoyed by them? Did it have a spaceship, or did it live in space? Was it man-sized, moon-sized, planet-sized, sun-sized, bigger than that? Was it animal, vegetable, mineral, gaseous, or an energy being? Was the book hardcover or paperback, possibly an Ace Double Novel?– user14111Oct 2, 2013 at 0:27
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I was a teenager when I read it, and 65 now, so things are a bit hazy...but here is my best try at your questions. I think the creature lived and traveled in space. Don't know motive. Was not after the whole planet at first, but became stronger and larger as it developed during the fighting. I believe it was a paperback. Can not recall the type of life it was.– GaryOct 3, 2013 at 5:16
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1There is a list of planet killers in wikipedia, probably will help - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_planet_killers#Other_literature– mikalaiOct 3, 2013 at 14:49
1 Answer
This reminds me of "The Searcher", by James H Schmitz, from the collection The Hub: Dangerous territory. it was first published in 1966.
There is a space entity which attacks, and attempts to destroy a planet. The reason is the planet finds a sensor the entity needs, and moves it to the planet for research. there is a series of counterattacks and defenses back and forth between the entity and the people on the planet, and the space entity grows more and more dangerous after each attempt, gaining knowledge and power. There are attempts to communicate (for various levels of creepiness and threat). It does not end in them actually throwing planets at each other, but the energy attacks, and the people's rebuffs, are spectacular and dangerous enough to be very memorable. Does it sound familiar?