[nvsblmnc]

Given all the Shivan hypothses lately, I started thinking about other explanations, and Alistair Reynold's Inhibitors came to mind.  If you're reading (or intend to read) any of his Revelation Space books stop reading here, because there be spoilers ahead...

One of Reynolds' ideas is that an ancient alien race, born soon after the unverse began, realised that if  intelligence was allowed to grow too early it would lead to the cataclysmic destruction of the galaxy and/or universe. 

In order to avoid that disaster, the aliens created a race of machines that would subtly prevent higher intelligence from forming on inhabited worlds, while allowing indiginous flora and fauna to continue unchecked, allowing for the time when the danger had passed. 

For a long time it worked, but then the builders died out, and the machines began to break down due to a lack of maintenance.  They missed some signs that intelligent life had evolved.  At this point, they became more aggressive, using a variety of methods to destroy the offending intelligences, going as far as turning stars into giant flamethrowers and torching whole worlds.  Becuase they were no longer operating as one, they became highly varied in their size and methods.

A theory like this, applied to the Shivans, might help to explain the behavioural differences between the forces encountered, and their seemingly sudden switch from tactial engagement to stellar genocide.  Opinions?

[Jeff Vader]

It has been brought up on a few occasions. Personally, I approve of this theory. I was reading Redemption Arc when I first started playing FreeSpace and it also struck me. There are obvious similarities between the Shivans and the Inhibitors, even though if their nature of existence and used methods vary greatly.

[Colonol Dekker]

Don't Sathanii remind you of the machine thingy from MAss Effect?

[Kie99]

Don't Sathanii remind you of the machine thingy from MAss Effect?

Sovereign, and yes, the reapers as a whole remind me of the Shivans.

[jdjtcagle]

That whole game reminds me of freespace

[AlphaOne]

what are you talking about here ppl some refence would be good to all these repers and inhibitors and stuff cuz it looks kinda cool.

[Jeff Vader]

Don' know nothin' about no reapers, but see Races in Revelation Space; scroll down to the part about Inhibitors/Wolves.

[AlphaOne]

oki i tried to ignore your advice and go over everithing i could find there and mi head wend KABOOM since i could make sence of most of the things there cuz i never read the books. I've got to get mi hands on those books. How many are there?

[Jeff Vader]

The Revelation Space series seems to consist of five novels, at least for now. I've only read Redemption Arc, the third one, where the Inhibitors were first properly introduced.

[Kie99]

Reapers are Mysterious Aliens in Mass Effect.  Can't say much more without ruining the entire storyline though

[IceFire]

Cool and I like the theory allot.  Can probably be tweaked back and forth a bit but yeah thats definitely along the same kinds of lines as I see the Shivans.  They are a sort of cosmic force and indeed it may be that they actively hunt and seek subspace using cultures as part of some sort of original mandate.

[nvsblmnc]

oki i tried to ignore your advice and go over everithing i could find there and mi head wend KABOOM since i could make sence of most of the things there cuz i never read the books. I've got to get mi hands on those books. How many are there?

In terms of Revelation Space there are:
Revelation Space
Redemption Ark
Absolution Gap
The Prefect (set in the same universe but set somewhat before).
There's also a couple of related stories in Galactic North.

The rest of his books are set in different storylines, but I don't know about the latest one as I haven't read it yet.

[Jeff Vader]

In terms of Revelation Space there are:
Revelation Space
Redemption Ark
Absolution Gap
The Prefect (set in the same universe but set somewhat before).
There's also a couple of related stories in Galactic North.

The rest of his books are set in different storylines, but I don't know about the latest one as I haven't read it yet.

Wikipedia listed Chasm City as the second novel of the series. But then again, I've heard that it's not that relevant for the whole story, even if it takes place in the same universe.

[MP-Ryan]

Psshaw... the Shivans are subspace's immune system.

Similar to that theory, but I tend to think they evolved within subspace itself and view other species using it as a means of transport as a threat.

[nvsblmnc]

Wikipedia listed Chasm City as the second novel of the series. But then again, I've heard that it's not that relevant for the whole story, even if it takes place in the same universe.

Chasm City is part of the Revelation Space universe, but it desn't directly relate to the Inhibitors.  They're more hinted at than directly encountered.  It's more easily lumped in with The Prefect, sonce they're both set around the Yellowstone system.

[General Battuta]

Actually, I would advocate reading Chasm City first -- it's a great introduction to the universe, and it sets up a tone of mood and menace around the Inhibitors that makes their eventual reveal all the more thrilling.