The character Brodersen resembles Nicholas Van Rijn and David Falkayn of Anderson's stories and novels about the Polesotechnic League. The theme of the free human spirit as the advancer of civilization is common in Anderson's writings, as is the notion that governments seek to inhibit free spirits. At about 175,000 words, The Avatar is much longer than most of Anderson's writings.

Publishers of popular fiction prefer novels that are between 60,000 and 75,000 words long because that length is ideal for the paperback-book market. The professional's professional, Anderson has usually met publishers' length requirements. Such short novels have little room for the detailed imagery and thorough characterizations that make The Avatar remarkable.