First book of 2012! I didn't set out to re-read another Jean Johnson, but my library books were upstairs and most of my other keepers were blocked by Christmas stuff.

This is set in the universe of the Sons of Destiny series, but is completely separate and can be read on its own. Both of the main characters are Shifters and, if bestiality is a squick of yours, there is a sex scene (pg. 335-340) between the two that dances around this taboo. However, since the book ends on pg. 343, you could stop before that scene and not lose anything.

The writing in Shifter Plains is definitely stronger than the Sons of Destiny series. It has a very similar feel to Elizabeth Vaughn's Warprize, despite the differences in plot. If you simply want to try out Jean Johnson, I recommend this book, but if you're like me and you like to dive into an author's body of work, start with The Sword and save the stronger work for later.