I remember nothing of the protagonist except he was youngish and male. The book may start with the protagonist being hunted in the desert by human riders on giant dogs. Society is extremely decadent and we later learn there is an underclass planning a revolution.
Protagonist has a mission of some sort that takes him across space. At some point he helps an old guy (possibly Asian). Character becomes sidekick of sorts. Is friendly and endears himself to reader.
Plot twist: the sidekick is an immortal (thanks to a small shape shifting alien he discovered on an asteroid many thousands of years ago, in what would be our near future). I think he was a cook on a mining vessel. Over time sidekick had been corrupted by his immortality and had taken to building and destroying civilisations. He had influenced development of the decadent civilisation and was also the mysterious leader of the rebellious underclass. We only learn all this in the denouement.
Protagonist has a mission of some sort that takes him across space. At some point he helps an old guy (possibly Asian). Character becomes sidekick of sorts. Is friendly and endears himself to reader.
Plot twist: the sidekick is an immortal (thanks to a small shape shifting alien he discovered on an asteroid many thousands of years ago, in what would be our near future). I think he was a cook on a mining vessel. Over time sidekick had been corrupted by his immortality and had taken to building and destroying civilisations. He had influenced development of the decadent civilisation and was also the mysterious leader of the rebellious underclass. We only learn all this in the denouement.
