The beasts of Barakhai

Graduate student Benton Collins tries to catch an escaped lab rat and enters the land of Barakhai, peopled with shapeshifters who transform into animals daily--whether they want to or not. When Benton is convicted of a crime and condemned to die, the rat, now in human form, rescues Benton in hopes the grad student can help change the way of life in Barakhai. First in a two-book series.