Orphan Star - Alan Dean Foster

One man in the Universe holds the key to the mystery of Flinx's past-and that man
is trying to kill him!

It is a strange childhood for a kid, to be adopted by the
restless Mother Mastiff and raised in the bustling marketplace of Drallar. Flinx
never knew the mom and dad who abandoned him years ago. In fact, his birth has always
been shrouded in mystery. But Flinx eventually discovers that his unknown parents
have left him a curious legacy-extraordinary mental powers that are both a marvelous
gift and a dreaded curse.

This double-edged legacy will lead Flinx, along with his
loyal protector, the mini-dragon Pip, on a harrowing journey in search of the truth
. . . about who he is and where he comes from. It is a daring adventure that brings
him to another world-and into the clutches of one of the most evil and powerful men
in the galaxy. . . .