DNF at 33%

This book sounded so great from the synopsis and the first couple of chapters had me intrigued but after that it fell flat for me. I found once they'd got to the school there were so many different characters mentioned by name and I couldn't keep them and their allegiances straight. I would have liked more information about the different countries in the world and my lack of knowledge and ability to separate the different characters in my head affected my enjoyment because I lost interest in what happened to anyone.

I'm hoping this might have just been the wrong time for me to read the book and will consider trying it again in future because I have heard good things from people.

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the ARC.

I was very excited to dive into this book as I wanted to read a book with dragons, but there were barely any dragons!! This high fantasy novel was slow paced and I feel like it was more character focused than plot focused at times. However, to me the characters were a bit flat and I quickly grew bored as I was reading. I didn't feel any connection to the characters at all which made it hard for me to care about what was happening to them. The world building was also okay but at times it was hard to keep track of and I wish the magic system was explained more.

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the ARC!

This is my first read from B.F. Peterson. I thought the story was interesting, it has dragons, political intrigue, magic, and an academic setting with different houses. All aspects I love in my favorite books, though I wish there were more moments to have further discussion about magic systems, I hoping that these characters grow further and their relationships deepen. The world was interesting but also something I assume is expanded upon as the series goes on.

We follow first year students of various socioeconomic backgrounds attending Eshtem University, they navigate the social structure of the university while trying to learn as much as they can to overcome competition style challenges intended to filter only the best of the best. Despite these grueling and gruesome trials there is a lot of mistrust around the idea that they are peacekeepers. At the end of the day Jadon, Christina (a stand-out character for me), Diar, and Jenne all want the same thing: a dragon, mastery of their own power, and becoming Edrei. If you are a fan of multiple-POV character study style books, I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for a copy of this novel for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Ellyrian Code is a multi-POV high fantasy novel centred on a college to train individuals to become Edrei, a selective and mysterious order. It follows Jadon, a High Prince; Christina, a Princess; Diar, a commoner formerly from a merchant family; and Jenne who has lost her memories.

It attempts to interweave the typical academic struggles a highly strict setting demands with a wider conspiracy about the ethics of such an organisation and what happens when corruption seeps in.

If you are expecting dragons, don’t. They feature minimally to the extreme that I forgot they were originally included at all.

Ultimately, the book has too many POV characters and everyone else suffers as a result of it. Jenne’s missing memories are barely factored in due to her intensity about the class structure; Diar acts as a foil to her and his own unique stance as being part of a niche religious order isn’t highlighted; Christine is trying to uncover potential corruption while being a historic first for her region and neither points land as they should because the viewpoint is split; and Jadon is pulled between his family obligations and his own aims.

The book is nearly stagnant in places with the sheer volume of characters the narrative jumps between and in other places, it moves along at a good pace. The reader is dropped into the middle of the action of high fantasy standards and it can be daunting at the start with the sheer volume of information and interwoven connections.

In terms of comparisons, I’ve not read the Atlas Six but I have read Fourth Wing and I believe the comparison does an injustice to both. This book focuses heavily on academics and on class disparities so readers’ expectations should be tempered, while the characters in the Ellyrian Code are more diverse and thought provoking.

Despite this, I would continue the series. Jadon was my immediate favourite and while the characters were under-utilised, it was solid writing. I just hope future stories in this series stay with one, maybe two, characters so they can get the story that they deserve.

I was really excited to dive into this book. The blurb intrigued me and was straight up my alley of books I love to read. I normally can kick out a book in a day or two, but this book took me over 2 weeks to read because it just felt like I was dragging my feet whenever id sit down to read it. I am all for authors being unique when naming their worlds, places and characters, but the names in this book were just a little too much. I know it's tough to find the balance between the fantasy aspect and also having names that fit into that fantasy genera without being over the top and funky. The names of the characters and places were just hard to read and got in the way of the flow of reading. Maybe a pronunciation guide in the beginning of the book could have really helped. The characters themselves didn't feel relatable or that likeable. There were constant contradictions throughout the book that made you confused. The princess waited her whole life to go to the school and worked her butt off to get there, and then throws it all away to try to solve a mystery that she comes across in a few days time? I also wasnt a huge fan of the school itself. I understand the goal for the multiple points of view, I just wish there was only 2 or maybe 3 POVs tops. I also really wish there was a little less politics and a lot more dragons. Dragons were one of the big points of interest for me and I feel disappointed with the little dose of dragons that we did get. Maybe it'll be better in book 2? I feel like this book and a lot of others like to draw inspiration or name drop other major hits like Fourth Wing or On Wings of Blood to draw people in, but I get really disappointed when they don't come close to the books they reference in their blurbs. It's like seeing a movie trailer that hypes you up, only to see the movie and all of the good/decent bits were all in the trailer. I felt like that with this book. Overall, it just felt inconsistent, the numerous characters were flat, the magic system didnt feel consistent and was confusing and was a bit of a let down. I hate saying that because I love to support authors, but for me this was a 3.5☆ read.

Thank you Netgalley, Angry
Robot and B.F. Peterson for letting me read an early reader copy of this book!

I wanted to love this, but it fell a bit flat for me. I will continue the series, because I am excited about where this is going, but the pacing was very slow for me. I had a very hard time staying engaged, and it took me a lot longer to finish than books normally do. I also did not feel totally invested in all of the characters, but I did enjoy the very frequent POV changes. I think comparing this to Fourth Wing is not the right marketing move. This is high fantasy, and I fear the Fourth Wing comparison may attract an audience who does not have patience for this level of world building and fantasy story.

The blurb sounded right up my alley however the plot falls flat. The POV change was nice but the plot and pacing was not for me.

Thank you for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a great start to an epic fantasy series. I really enjoyed this one and it’s one I would definitely recommend it. It starts with some world building of course. It enjoyed this and it and didn’t take me long to get my head around what we have learned so far. I can’t wait to hear more about the world.

We hear some things before the academic setting that are not explained yet but are a backstory to what’s happening in the book. It will be interesting to see it get explained because there are some unanswered questions!

So we don’t see a lot of the dragons this book but it’s only their first year of studying. When we do see them it’s even intimidating to the students because they aren’t seen much. I like how the magic system works and in looking forward to seeing what talents our four have!

The characters: Diar - I like him. He is the the naive but sweet hero who doesn’t realise his worth yet. He is loyal and is in touch with his feelings.
Jadon - Bad boy Prince but has a lot on his shoulders due to his father and his future role. Doesn’t share this with people. Acts out but is good at what he does.
Christina - I quite like her and think that will develop more as the series continues. I like what she did at the end and am curious to see how that works out!
Jenne - I didn’t like her all the way through. Thinks too much of herself even though she is common born. Wow is me kind of attitude. I hope she gets better.

I’m really looking forward to book two and to see where the series goes. Its definitely got me hooked!

Thank you to @angryrobotbooks, the author and NetGalley for the gifted review copy.

3.25 stars

I was kind of waiting for more which made me sad because I saw the premise and thought it was promising. I just needed a bit more in every aspect (plot, world building, character development). Not bad but not super memorable which makes me feel bad.

I was in awe at how good this was! Not usually a fan of dark academia except this was much more fantasy than academia! Great characters, addictive writing and I really enjoyed it

Dnf‘ed at 25% I really wanted to like this book. From the comp titles and the blurb it sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, this book was just so incredibly dry. I felt disconnected from all the characters, and I just couldn’t keep going once I reached the university part. I know lessons can be dry and boring, but that’s not what I want from the worldbuilding in my Fantasy book.

I read the arc of The Ellyrian Code by B.F. Peterson. This is an interesting dark academia fantasy. we are following primarily four first year students at Eshtem University. The students are initiates and are training to join the Order of the Edrei and become guardians of magic and dragons, keepers of peace, and servants of justice. There is some borrowing in the world building as there are Farseers and the 'elves have left middle earth' stories here. The writing is good and I like the characters, but the magic system needs more explanation and the world building, while not info dumping - a definite plus, but we could have used more detail. There are dragons - just a little bit, as we are focused on the first year students/initiates and the dragons are for graduates. This is the first book in a series, so I am definitely interested in reading what comes next. I need to thank Net Galley and Angry Robot for my advance Reader Copy. This book comes out June 24, 2025.

This was fun and I had a great time with it. Really enjoyed it while reading but later felt a lot of inconsistencies
3.5 stars?

Dive into this thrilling fantasy novel that takes the classic idea of elite magical training at a fancy school and gives it a fresh twist. With its complex characters and a hint of political intrigue, it’s a must-read for fans of the genre. Meet Jadon, Christina, Jenne, and Diar, four friends entangled in a web of loyalty, love, and mystery. Each of their stories adds a unique take to the plot.

World building particularly Eshtem University is amazing. You can’t help but be drawn to the idea of dragon-riding and spellcraft, but there are also grueling trials, intense competition, and unsettling hints of the Order’s darker secrets. B.F Peterson keeps you on the edge of your seat, revealing the characters’ assumptions and allegiances as the story unfolds.

If anything, the middle chapters feel a bit slow. The plot sometimes drags with perspectives that can be highlighted less. The emotional stakes are still high, and the ending is great. It leaves you wanting more, which is a good sign for a sequel!

This is more than just another magic school story—it’s a deep, character-driven fantasy that explores the real meaning of justice in a system that’s stacked against you.

4.5 ⭐️

Right from the first chapter, the Ellyrian Code gave me Fourth Wing vibes, from the dragons (who are mostly hinted at and remain a mystery)(the reasoning I will touch on in a moment), to the rigid academy setting, class divides, and an intriguing touch of magic through “projectors”, “intuiters”, etc. Even the chapters have tiny lore dumps at the beginning of the chapters that are important to the story. But that’s where the comparison to Fourth Wing stops. The Ellyrian Code is Fourth Wing’s more serious, more mysterious cousin.

The writing is super sharp and mature, and felt like a very real and immersive fantasy world. Eshtem is a school, but it never really felt safe or lighthearted. There was always a sense of something happening just off page. The author did a great job of keeping me locked into the unease of the school, balancing political undercurrents and the class divisions, and with a sense of something much darker happening just beyond the school walls.

The story is told through 4 rotating POVs, and while their story arcs remain somewhat separate at first, I genuinely enjoyed each main characters story development, even though I still have many questions. Their individual struggles were very distinct, yet you can tell that they are all on a collision course for something much bigger. The occasional overlap of their stories built a really fantastic slow burn anticipation for when they finally do begin to come together.

This book didn’t shy away from exploring cruelty. The bullying in particular made me a little uncomfortable in some spots, though it did serve a very clear purpose in how well it showed just how deep the class divide runs in this world. There was very little “tell” and a lot of “show” in how the social hierarchy played out, and it added an interesting layer of tension to every interaction in the book.

The pacing of this book sits somewhere between slow and medium, and there were moments I struggled to stay invested. The plot took a back seat multiple times to the world building and the establishment of the schools systems. Still… I really enjoyed how IMMERSIVE the story was. Even with multiple POVs, the story was really cleverly told from the students perspective. You the reader are discovering things right along with the stufents… never ahead, and never quite sure what the Master Dreis (the teachers) were truly up to. This is the main reason why I don’t believe we get to see many dragons in this book.. or magic, for that matter. No first years have developed their magic, and they don’t have access to the dragons yet, so why would we the reader see them? I think this all really added to the mystery and appeal!

There’s no romance (yet 👀)… That’s clearly being saved for future books. Instead, this book lays some massive groundwork by way of political intrigue, strict laws and expectations, and young characters navigating their new places in the world.

If you’re looking for a book that contains fast action, and swoon-level dynamics, this book may test your patience. But if you like the element of tension that sits just beneath the surface, complex and layered worldbuilding, and that feeling that the REAL story is just getting started, you’ll want to get into this book and stick around.

I’m already planning a re-read of this one, and dying for the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the ARC and opportunity to share my review. This was one of my favorite reads of the year.

I really wanted to love this book, and the blurb sounded like something I would loved to have read.
I really struggled with the pacing and found it quite slow. It was also really hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level as it shifted to different POV’s so much. The book follows the POV of four different characters, mentioning their group of friends as well as other students so it can get confusing.
However, a positive was that I really did like the way that B.F. Peterson writes, and I would definitely give any future books a try.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this return of an honest review.

Full disclosure I'm not 100% done with this book but oh my gosh I'm devouring it as fast as I can! But since release day was yesterday I wanted to just say I can already tell this book is going to be a five star for me. I love the complexity and layers of the world and the way the characters stories intertwine. I can't wait to come back and update this when I'm done.

The blurb about this book sounded right up my alley. I love books focused on academia, plus dragons! What's not to love?! Unfortunately, the start was just too slow for me and I found myself having a hard time getting into it. I may pick it back up later, but for now, this book was a DNF.

This was obviously a plot with a lot of thought behind it. I feel like there is a strong set up for events to happen, and some of it is very intriguing. It didn't really expand upon these events in a way that made them feel like they were going to be explored further, though. It felt like we were introduced to a conflict and then abruptly dropped in favor of something else.

There are multiple character POVs, and each shares a unique perspective that helps to flesh out the university setting. I enjoyed that there was a wide berth between each character so that the reader could get a feel for what the university was like at each level. The characters seemed to have conflicting motivations and actions, with one example being a highborn character who has dreamed of going to this university abandoning it to solve a mystery that they just came across a week before. The characters lacked depth and weren't relatable. It was hard to tell if they were in their 20s or teenagers, as they seemed to swivel back and forth in maturity. Sometimes it felt like there were two versions of each character.

The university also felt very inconsistent. Outside ranks were supposed to be left behind upon entering, but the higher-born initiates were treated better than their lower-born counterparts, which was a little frustrating with it's inconsistency. I also would have loved to see more dragons. Perhaps they will come later on in the series, but for now, it felt like a missed opportunity. Also, I was confused on the magic abilities. People joined to learn magic, but only a few actually learned?

Overall, I think the premise of this book is solid, but it could have done with more clarification. I would have loved a bit more world-building and explanation to the castes and magic systems. I would have loved to see more dragons and to have had more consistency throughout the novel, from the characters to the university. As I said, I may pick this back up later on once more in the series are out, as I have a sneaking suspicion that this book will be better if read within the context of a series that has already released versus one still being written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for sharing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This book is a mix of the danger and dragon school elements of Fourth Wing, mixed with the academia and character elements of The Atlas Six in the best possible ways. The characters are what make this story stand out for me so much. They help to build up this fantasy world full of people from all different social classes that can come together at Eshtem University and vie to be a part of the Edrei, an elite order of dragon-riding, magic-wielding peacekeepers. We do not really get to see much of the dragons in this book and so much is built and hinted at for the future of this world that I cannot wait for the second book of this series to hit shelves already!

4.5 stars rounded down

Thank you to @angryrobotbooks for my copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

If you enjoy a good political fantasy with a university vibe this is the book for you! In the beginning we meet High Prince Jadon who is faced with stepping into his father's shoes as a pawn in their political charades. Fast forward- The story follows the students at Eshtem University all fighting to be part of the Order of Edrei-an order made up of elite dragon-riding, magic-wielding peacekeepers. This story is filled with multiple pov's where the reader can easily get lost with all that is going on- for example the book begins with a day in the life of Jadon and then moves right into Christina's in the next chapter. Once you get a grasp on each character's backgrounds and how they motivate their choices throughout the book- there is a lot to love!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.