Reign of Hex & Steel Books in Order

Reign of Hex & Steel is a fantasy series written by Richard Prosch with Robert E. Vardeman. Its central idea is simple and appealing: what happens when magic meets machinery, and neither side is willing to give way? The answer is a story of armored fighters, dangerous spells, political pressure, old powers, and a realm trying not to come apart.

The series is set in Tatendra, a place shaped by twin moons and long-running conflict over who should hold power. In The Dagger Before Me, Celestyne is a warrior and leader responsible for protecting her people at a moment when the realm is under serious threat. She has authority, but authority is not the same as control, especially when enemies can draw on forces she does not fully understand.

Her uneasy ally is Devron Koert, a gifted mechanician whose inventions include formidable mechanical armor and fighters. Devron's work places him at the heart of the series' biggest question. Can steel and human skill stand against old magic, or will the tools built to defend Tatendra become another source of fear? Their partnership is useful, but it is not easy.

Mage-King Govannon is a major danger from the start. His magical power and ambitions push Celestyne and Devron into conflicts that are bigger than a single battle. The books also bring in awakened creatures, ancient forces, and threats tied to the world itself. The falling or shifting moons are more than a dramatic image, they signal that the balance of Tatendra is unstable.

Nothing stays neatly divided between good magic and bad machinery.

The later books broaden the conflict. In The War of the Wylde, the fight against Govannon leaves Tatendra vulnerable to an older menace, and Celestyne must weigh her beliefs against what the realm needs to survive. Rampart of Thorns brings the larger struggle toward a crisis involving monstrous forces, failing defenses, and the risk of destruction on a far wider scale.

This is a brisk sword-and-sorcery series with a mechanical twist. Readers who enjoy fantasy battles will find armored combat, strange creatures, and high-stakes attacks, while readers who like political pressure will find leaders forced to make choices that have no clean answer. Celestyne's duty and Devron's uneasy relationship with magic give the action a human focus.

Start with The Dagger Before Me. The books are best read in order because the political fallout, alliances, and threats build from one installment to the next.