Neil Port who wrote "The Elvish Prophecy", which I really did enjoy, has come out with the second book in the 'Paladin Chronicles', "The Defence of Troia". Delve back into the world of men and elves and follow the story as it goes to the Greek city of Troia. The city was once very powerful but because of the loss of the last war it has become weakened and something seems wrong at the core of things. Hakeem, his elvish Queen Elana and their adopted daughter Jacinta ride to the city and prepare with the people to face the siege that is to come as a large Navy from Athenai is on its way. Not only do they have to prepare for this siege, and feel the dark magic around them, they must also find the ancient missing artifacts that will help return the elvish magic and make it right again.

I love a good fantasy story and I enjoyed the first book in this series. I have to say that Neil Port has not disappointed me in the second installment of the book either. The writing is really good and the plot seems to thicken with every page you read. Jacinta, I have to say, stood out to me as my favorite character in this installment, which surprised me a little bit but in a pleasant way. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure and fantasy. It will suck you in. I could hardly set it down to get the work around the house done. As an aside, it is noted on the author's website that he is donating the proceeds to charity, which is just amazing.

The novel, "The Defence of Troia", is the second book in the 'Paladin Chronicles' series by Neil Port. As the story unfolds, we find the city of Troia in great danger. The Makedone king, Philippos, is planning to reinforce his army and invade Troia. The navy of Athenai is also poised to attack the strategically located city. Hakeem, a mercenary and Shantawi warlord who is a Paladin or religious knight of the Shayva sect, comes to Troia to help defend the city. He is married to the beautiful and brave Elana, an Elvish queen. They are both mentioned in a prophecy, together with their adopted Gypsy daughter Jacinta, who is also a student paladin. To make matters worse, populous revolts rock Troia and preparations to protect the city are tumultuous. A battle between the elves who have lost their magic against some dark power also ensues. They also have to find artifacts that have been lost in the last thousands of years and ensure the survival of the city, the elves and their human allies.

"The Defence of Troia" is a historical fiction and epic fantasy novel that is set in Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Syria and Central Asia starting in 350 BC. Author Neil Port has done extensive research on his subject and this makes the narrative truly entertaining. The reader is immediately transported to the interesting city of Troia and to a fascinating era that is long gone but his description makes the famous ancient city come alive again. As the second book in a series entitled 'Paladin Chronicles', two Paladins figure prominently in the story. Here, the Paladins do not have magical powers and have to struggle like humans when faced with great obstacles. This treatment make these characters vivid and real. Entertaining and enlightening, this is a novel that grips the interest of the reader from start to finish. As a history buff myself, I find this novel educational and a must read for history scholars. Indeed, "The Defence of Troia" is a story that deals with human struggle and this is a universal and timeless theme.