If One Falls is a fantasy novel by Elaine H. Baldwin. The story is about two young women who are caught in a war between the Emperor and the Cardinal and Allelon, the exiled true king of Terrah.

Esa is young, beautiful, and selfish. She trains to someday be the bride of a rich man. But little does she know what that life will really entail. Wynn is her companion, a woman of sense and duty, and bearer of a secret: She is part of the Allelon family. When Esa is auctioned off to the highest bidding rich man to become his future wife, the women discover that he killed his previous wives and plans on leaving Wynn (Esa’s companion) at a temple to become a temple prostitute.

So the women run. While running, they stumble upon a community that exists outside Terrah, a community filled with magic. It seems like an idyllic village filled with peace and communion between the inhabitants. Then Wynn discovers that someone in the village has used magic to suppress her and Esa’s memories, replacing them instead with false memories.

I enjoyed If One Falls. It is not the usual medieval fantasy. Instead, the story takes place in a fantasy world that feels more like the 1800’s. I liked how it was a different kind of world. I also enjoyed the characters, especially Wynn. She is a no-nonsense, get things done kind of woman. And she is (most of the time) patient with Esa.

And speaking of Esa, usually characters like her (young, beautiful, naive, selfish) can annoy me, but Esa did not. Instead, I saw her the way Wynn did, as someone who need protection and guidance.

I recommend If One Falls for anyone looking for a fantasy novel 🙂