I felt like there would be something so much more epic taking place in this world, but this story just seems to shoot right by it.
Instead I think we get some kinda commentary on how we pit our ideas against each other in chosen arenas, but then our ideas and philosophies pit us against each other as well.
I got that impression when we got boxing matches that involved famous characters from history, and the one fight that
we'd never see but people always seem to wonder about: who would win in a fight between Tyson and Ali. (Ali of course)
I didn't really get why Kim would buy a bodyguard only to have him fight to the death with another one. But I guess the author is trying to make it seem that those who give themselves over to an ideology, idea, philosophy, whatever are likely to fight someone to defend it, and maybe we shouldn't follow someone so readily. It's a point that's made over and over again in sci fi, albeit in this
story, it gets a bit convoluted, lost in a rich world setting.
The best idea in the story is how the insurance agent is someone willing to sell themself to a idea forthe right price, fight for it, then turn to some other idea to fight for it instead when he's all healed up, having suffered no consequences really. He's unchanged, unharmed, and his only real incentive is money, not principle.
"Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it."