If you love fantasy books that take place at universities, here ya go!

Dragons, magic, political drama, royalty, religious turmoil, rebels, weekly competitions, invading wizards, mysteries and conspiracies, and a magical university!

I thought this was decent, I just didn't find myself getting invested in the characters all that much. Maybe because it read slightly on the denser side (but not that much, so I don't know). It also wasn't super fast-paced, so that could be why I couldn't fully connect. I love action-packed fantasies, I want to be on the edge of my seat.

There was also just a lot going on. But I could also see that being useful for expanding the worldbuilding in future books in this series, so I that was definitely intentional.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

An epic fantasy with deeply intricate and intense worldbuilding. So much history to take in and I was so immersed. The story is unique and the characters are well written and fleshed out, the mystery keeps you engaged. But where were the dragons? We saw them once?!

Fourth Wing, but more academic, political, and less romance. However, this seems better plotted with great potential.

Eshtem University is where initiates are trained to join the Order of the Edrei, to become guardians of magic and dragons, keepers of peace, and servants of justice.

We follow a range of firsts year students who are trying to graduate amidst gruelling challenges and competitions to eliminate the weak.
We also have rebels, worries of invading wizards with no elves to help, and a haunch that turns into a mystery and conspiracy theory which could get those looking into it expelled or killed.

<b>“Just the idea that people respect the law because they actually weighed their alternatives,” said Jadon, not even bothering to sit up properly. “Always seemed to me such respect was more a culturally indoctrinated reflex.” 
</b>
There is a strict class structure where people are sworn to different royal Houses and House honour is a huge deciding factor in socialising and favouritism in the school - despite the ideal that everyone should be held equal in learning.

This wasn’t necessarily fast-paced, but I was riveted to all of the different characters and their own arcs.

This book has a lot in it which can teeter on overwhelming but manages to pull it off.

I do wish there were more deception and a better explanations of the magic system and the abilities. However, I am sure this will be built on in future instalments.

Be warned, this goes for the dragons too - we don’t get much of them as they are reserved for graduates in only certain circumstances.

To me, this means there is a lot of promise and so much more to come.

Arc gifted by Angry Robot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book and am DNFing this book at 34%.
If you are not a fan of info dumps then avoid this book. In the nicest most diplomatic way I can put it this book was poorly written and not compelling at all. I’m very disappointed to DNF this book as I have been looking forward to this book for quite a while but I cannot make myself read anymore.

Thank you to Angry Robot Books and Netgalley for my very first ARC!! I'd give this book 3.75 stars.

The Ellyrian Code is a new fantasy series, and when I say fantasy, I mean FANTASY. This book is perfect for fans of intense and intricate worldbuilding. If you like Samantha Shannon's worldbuilding, this is much the same. Fleshed out religions, regions, languages, and cultures. Way too much history to keep up with. I hope the print versions have maps, because I feel like the book would've benefitted from one. The countries/territories were mentioned a lot, but I felt disoriented a bit while reading the book.

The good: The story is unique. I've never read anything like this before, and I appreciate the breath of fresh air. I felt like the characters, (Jadon, Christina, Jenne, and Diar) were well written, different from each other, and didn't fit into a stereotypical box. Christina was a noble but not snotty, Jadon was a noble, snotty (sometimes), and yet intelligent and caring, Diar was frustrating, lawful good, but also loveable, Jenne was hard-headed, determined, smart. (I'm over-simplfying them, I promise.)

I liked the idea of Edrei being general peacekeepers for the land. One would think of police officers, but they're more like advisers to the rulers of the land. The author could've easily gone for a Divergent-Dauntless-Hunger Games-Peacekeeper copycat but this manages to be completely different. I got some Fourth Wing Basigiath vibes.

I appreciate the classism that was rampant in this book. Eshtem is supposed to be class-less, but I think that if the commoners and nobles just dropped their class divides and were happy best friends, it would be super unrealistic. The nobles and commoners tension was very accurate.

The not-so-good: I won't say bad, because nothing in this book was truly BAD. The pacing was a bit off. The book starts off extremely slow to build up the characters, world, etc. But it was a bit of a slog to get through and I almost DNF'd because I was so stuck in trying to understand everything. I think the author would benefit from infusing the worldbuilding throughout the action and conversation rather than exposition or a lot of little events. The last half was more interesting as Christina broke the mystery open. However, for a book with a synopsis about dragons...where were the dragons? We only saw them once!

I also don't understand the magic system and I think that the author meant for it to be that way as the main characters also don't understand the magic system. But for the record, I am lost on what Dreamers, Imagers, Intuiters, etc. are. I will say that the magic doesn't play a HUGE part in this book, so it's not critical.

Also, I don't feel like Eshtem had any true learning or structure to it. It's supposed to be a university with a curfew, but for being a peacekeeper school, none of the students learned any kind of discipline or military skills. If you were good at swordplay (Jadon) you didn't learn anything new. If you were bad at swordplay (Christina) you didn't learn any basic skills. All of the students are just basically at Bible college (required uniform and curfew).

I would absolutely read book 2!

This story follows multiple students who are initiates at Eshtem university, who are one day destined to become Edrei or peace Knights if they can make the cut.

Our young students all long to become Edrei, as they are the keepers of dragons, and who doesn’t love a dragon.

As or young students navigate the day to day life at Eshtem they start to uncover secrets. This leaves them wondering what is the truth and how far will they go to find out?

This book was rich in world building and effortlessly pulled you in. The characters are sharp, witty and go through a huge amount of growth.

Thanks to Angryrobot Publishing and B.F. Peterson for my early copy. Looking forward to where the world and characters go next.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7470645997

Fast-paced, imaginative, and brimming with high-stakes tension—The Ellyrian Code pulled me in from the very first chapter. The world-building was rich and layered, blending sci-fi elements with action and just enough mystery to keep the pages turning. I loved how the story balanced advanced technology with emotional depth and character-driven moments.

The protagonist was easy to root for—determined, smart, and just flawed enough to feel real. Watching them navigate political intrigue, unexpected alliances, and a looming threat made for an exciting ride. The pacing was strong, and the stakes kept rising in a way that felt organic and earned.

If you're a fan of smart sci-fi with strong characters, clever twists, and a universe you can get lost in, The Ellyrian Code delivers. Looking forward to seeing where this world goes next!

Unputdownable. I started reading it in transit while travelling, and when I looked up my flight was boarding. Absorbs you wholly and I xannot wait for this to be in the world

sadly, I did not enjoy this book: it wants to be a bit fourth wing (an academy of magic and dragons?) and a bit atlas six: the title in fact refers to the ellyrian code on which the protagonists build their endless clashes of dialectics that take place in the academy: the entire book is fundamentally based on that, even the final twists, the interactions between
the characters, the lessons at the academy: only laws, only back and forth; the worldbuilding, the chemistry between the characters, the plot: nothing has come through; the characters remain a name on a sheet of paper, they are many but not characterized, anonymous, interchangeable; a book that I would define not satisfying, despite the purpose of mixing dragons and dark academia vibes.

"Everyone is content not knowing a secret until they realize that there's a secret they don't know."

The way my heart fluttered and my throat trembled at this line. I know it might not seem much, but for a person who loved reading Peter Baelish and Varys in a Song of Ice and Fire, these words triggered something cold in me. The feeling that what I was reading was only the first layer in an intricate story of magic, deception, and loyalty. The question is, what loyalty comes first? Your house, your kingdom, your self , or the truth?

Ellyrian is broken up into three principalities, house of blood, gold, and war. The house of blood are descended from the old Kilethi kings and honor the teachings of the elves. They favor the code of love and forgiveness. The house of gold purchased their princedoms when Ellyrian was new and in need of gold. The house of war took the lands for their princedom, living by a code of might.

The prologue starts with Hazzar. A Edrei who is far away from home with his breatheran. Tasked to uphold the Orders code and justice. But all is not well. A decision made in the silent dark will leave Hazzar shunned and nameless but never forgotten.

The story cuts to several years later. We then begin to follow multiple students who are initiates at Eshtem, a peace college. Where perspective students are tutored and challenged in anticipation of one day being a Edrei or peace knight. The curriculum is rigorous, and very few make it, but it is worth every moment. To be an Edri is to be almost untouchable. To be held above all others in the realm, what judgment you bring final. Not to mention they're the keeper of dragons. As the students battle not only each other but their inner selves to come out on top, a secret is accidentally uncovered. Leaving them and you to ponder, what is the truth , where does it come from, and at what cost is it worth?

I finished this book in 3 days because it sucked me in. It gave just enough Fourth Wing vibes to sate my hangover while still being an intriguing story. I loved all the banter and whitty quips between the mcs throughout the book. I also thoughlly enjoyed the interrogations and tried to figure out what I would have answered before reading the characters response. 😅 These were very humbling moments knowing I wouldn't cut it here.

I would like to thank angryrobot publishing and B.F. Peterson for the free arc I received and am happy to leave this honest review.

This had a comp title of fourth wing which made me really excited, but it was a very different book, which I'm partly glad for. It was very dark academia, but I did want more dragons. While confusing at the start, by the end I was pretty invested in a few familiar characters. I think this left off at a very interesting point and that book 2 could be even better.