Robbins "explores, challenges, mocks, and celebrates virtually every major aspect of our mercurial era.

Robbins has stated in numerous interviews that in this book he was trying to deal with contradiction,[3] but rather than avoiding his contradictory nature, his character embraces it.

Switters feels that the core of the universe and the basis of human existence is the paradox of light and dark coexisting together.

This is the main idea of "Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates", along with an interest in the Lady of Fatima and a squawking parrot.

The title of the novel comes from Arthur Rimbaud's A Season in Hell, in which he daydreams about becoming one of "ces féroces infirmes retour des pays chauds."

Switters refrains from the more tedious routines of modern life, which he calls collectively "maintenance" - showering, shaving, primping of any kind, and though he has quite an appetite, especially for red-eye gravy, he can't abide to think of the process of excretion.

In the crocodile-skin valise in which he keeps his laptop and his gun, he also has, in a secret compartment, a CD of Broadway tunes, which he listens to in both his darkest and most joyous moments.

He is willing to accept anything that anyone does, so long as it is pure - comes from that person's own experience and beliefs, as opposed to simply following orders, instructions, or creed.

After his visit to South America, he spends some time convalescing in Sacramento at his mother's house, a setting that puts him in dangerously close proximity to the object of his affection, who despite a bit of hesitation, returns her paramour's attention.