Many thanks to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the opportunity to be an ARC reader for The Ellyrian Code.

My honest review is that this is a very unique book. Far more high fantasy than I am used to but not in a bad way.
The setting of the world was really different to anything I've read.

I liked having different characters points of view but did struggle to follow all of the characters in the beginning because I didn't know them. Perhaps it would have been good to set the world and magic system and then break down more about characters once the scene was set. it was just a lot to understand and take it from the start.

Saying that, once I passed that the story picked up nicely and kept me reading! I am excited to see where this could go.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I just couldn’t get into the story. I think there is a lot of world building and a lot of characters. I don’t think this is a bad book, it’s just not for me personally. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book, all opinions are my own.

DNF.

This is NOT a bad book. It's just not my vibe. I don't think the marketing is quite there for it, but again, well written.

If you like highly political, multiple perspectives high fantasy, you will devour this. Unfortunately, that's not really my vibe at this point.

"The Ellyrian Code: The Treaty of Edriendor" is a character-driven fantasy novel set in the world of Ellyria, where dragon-riding, magic-wielding peacekeepers known as the Edrei maintain order. The story follows a cast of complex characters, including High Prince Jadon, Jenne, Diar, and Princess Christina, as they navigate the intricate world of Eshtem University and confront corruption within the Edrei.

While the world-building and magical system are strong points, the multitude of characters and plotlines sometimes felt overwhelming. A reference guide or info pages at the front might have helped clarify the complex details.

Overall, "The Ellyrian Code" is an engaging, if not entirely captivating, read. With a rating of 3 stars, it's a solid start to the series, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations based on the summary and cover.

Thank you to B. F. Peterson, #NetGalley and #AngryRobot for allowing me to have an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
This has been a real struggle to get into and unclear why we need so many POVs. I felt very uncomfortable that the topic of guards raping ppl is just seen as too much work to punish them. Perhaps later the character that was dismissive of the situation has a redemption but I had a huge ick right there. It was jumping around so much I have no sense of the world building or powers. I was hoping for dragon school but didn't even make it to the school part.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me at 'Atlas Six' because I am.a sucker for morals and ethics and philosophy bundles in a fantasy book, however thats not quite what I got. The Ellyrian Code is a magical-school book following four characters on their own separate trials through the school to hopefully graduate and become a Drei Master. Cocky prince Jadon, eloquent princess Christina, stubborn Jenne and bashful Diar.

Firstly, I got a good gist of the world slowly through drips and drabs. The magic system is a strange one- not everyone is gifted and those that are are highly sought after regardless of power. The world seems to be split into three houses/clans which only drives tension inside the university as prior houses aren't to be recognised. There's a sense of general worldly unrest due to 'terrorists' in some parts of the world, who are leaders to others and anti-heroes to many. Couple this with how certain teachers got to where they are, does make you wonder who's really corrupt in all of this. The people, the power, or the students? The story kept going on and on, not pausing for breath and I enjoy fast paced books, but at times there was a lot of exposition via dialogue/a conversation which was very on the nose and I would have preferred to discover this another way like a puzzle.

I adored Jadon and Diar in this. Foils of each other and unlikely friendships, opposite families, opposite mentalities yet somehow they pull through for each other. Seeing Jadon have all this pressure on his back and dealing with his corrupt city (yes, fantasy politics!!! love them!!) while also unintentionally abusing his power as a prince was quite an intriguing journey to watch. Jenne I can't stand on my own (she's written great, I simply don't like her haha- very Atlas Six), however she provides wonderful insight into being a woman in a patriarchy, and how there's other way to win a fight than physically slamming the competition. Christina felt like a breath of fresh air to read as if Peterson took both traits of several FMC's in other books and put them into two different people instead of one almighty person. I liked reading about teachers' opinions on students and even their struggles with each other (Tamar intrigues me greatly. As if she knows more than she lets on but still wants what's best for all). The anecdotes at the start of the chapter I loved, but many of them gave away the entire chapter, and then the ending of the book (namely the prophecy one in Jadon's last chapter- this really spoilt the ending for me). Our characters are all very fun and playful with each other, and thy don't take the school/world/each other too seriously unlike other books.

My biggest problem with the book however isn't necessarily the writing, but rather marketing and the parallels it misses- there are absolutely ZERO stakes in this entire book. I could tell this early on from the demerit system (10 = expulsion)If you were to get 10 demerits from the riders quadrant, you'd probably have wound up dead because that how it goes. If you were to get the same demerits in The Atlas Six, you wouldn't have been asked to join anyway, and you'd also end up killing everyone in your cohort for not meeting the prophecy. If you get 10 demerits in The Ellyrian Code, absolutely nothing happens and you go home as soon as possible. I will say, I laughed when that was the case because I was totally drawn in and expecting som major trial or punishment (because Fourth Wing/Atlas Six) and there was nothing. I would compare this more to Naomi Noviks' 'The Scholomance' trilogy. There are also hardly any dragons in this, and they (two of them) make an appearance three times. There are also a lot of characters that don't do a whole lot, so it was confusing trying to remember names and surnames without having to a list to refer to or anything, and then we didnt see most of them for half of the book anyway? Some of the fights were confusing to read and see who's attacking who, however it was naturally fast paced so that could've been a thing on my part.

I'm unsure what any of the characters outside of Jadon actually want? What happens when you graduate? Who are your families? There's not a big force we need to be fighting before it destroys the world, just a mysteriously vague prophecy that doesn't mean anything currently. I don't understand why Christina goes against everything she has ever learnt and ever been told for one man, going so far as to jeopardise everything she's worked for in the span of one week- it is super unclear what she wants out of all of this.

Ultimately, 'Fourth Wing meets The Atlas Six' are absolutely massive shoes to fill, and as someone who's a fan of both (TA6 being my favourite series of all time) this meets neither and doesn't come close. Having these two are the forefront of marketing does this book a massive disservice because it's so different to the two in its own way, and thats a good thing! I was expecting massive, huge defying things and didn't get any of that so there was a constant nagging disappointment in the back of my mind since I wouldn't use either to compare The Ellyrian Code to, so I can't give it five stars as it didn't meet my expectations at all. I recommend this if you want a very young adult magic school book, as thats what this is and I love that. I am looking forward to the next book- 4 stars because I can tell this is building up to something big (and I like that), but good things start out slowly and I can sort of see where the story is going. It was an enjoyable read, but manage your expectations from a YA book (Fourth Wing and TA6 are both adult series).

Thanks AngryRobot for sending me a copy in the post, and giving me an eARC!

Thank you Angry Robots and NetGalley for the ARC !

Hugely character driven story, The Ellyrian Code will appeal to readers who love a strong world building and magical system. I really enjoyed the academic setting and the different types of magic. And also, dragons !!

But for a character heavy story, I didn't care for them at all. I found them lacking and one dimensional, sometime even cliché.
The pacing is very slow, which doesn't bother me usually, but it felt like dragging sometimes here.

I am very split about this book unfortunately !

I really liked the concept of this book, however, unfortunately it fell flat for me.

There was a plot hook set up right at the very beginning, which then seemed to have so little to do with the rest of this book that when it then did crop up in various places it felt difficult to be invested in learning more about it. I appreciate that there are likely other books planned in the series, but the pacing and set up of that particular part of the story felt off to me.

Given the multiple POVs through the book, I also found it really difficult to engage well with any of the narratives or characters, because so much was introduced so quickly that it was difficult to keep up. For me, the beginning third of the book felt too piecemeal and rushed.

As a result, I didn't feel as though I connected with any of the characters in a way that made me want to continue following their stories.

Having said that, I did persevere, because it was a fictional world that did have some potential. I felt as though the book did pick up at about 80% of the way through. For me, that was where I finally felt as though there was good pacing, relationships between characters that felt believable, and plot points that existed outside of being told things in lectures or by teachers.

Overall, I found this book very disappointing (especially because I was so excited by the concept).

I have not finished this book but I will give my feedback now as I don't think I will finish it in time.
This book has the potential to be a good read, unfortunately for me, life has gotten in the way and I'll have to revisit it at a later date, past the publishing date.
It's has all the elements I love in a fantasy book so I have high hopes.
When life settles down for me, I'll revisit and give a fuller review. But so far, I have liked it.
I thank netgalley and the author for this opportunity and apologies for the half review.

This one’s definitely a slow burn, but once you settle into the world, it really starts to click. It’s giving dark academia meets high fantasy — full of secrets, scheming, and political drama. There’s magic (and dragons!), but it’s more about the tension and mind games than action-packed battles.

The multiple POVs take a bit to get used to, but I actually loved how layered the story became once I was in. Not much romance, but if you’re in the mood for something smart and twisty with “fantasy but make it morally grey academia,” it’s worth the read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

A gripping sci-fi thriller with political intrigue, high-stakes action, and a richly built universe. The Ellyrian Code blends espionage and futuristic tech with complex characters and moral ambiguity. B. F. Peterson keeps the pace tight and the tension high, making this a must-read for fans of space operas with a cerebral edge.

I'll be honest i've tried twice to read and get into this book and I've just haven't been able to get into it. I think if I read it at another point I will like it but as of right now I just can't. I am defiantly going to go back at some point and try to read it again.

There is a lot of world building done through lectures which, given that this book takes place at an magical university ,feels both natural and … I’m sorry, but a little boring. While I enjoyed watching the characters develop and overcome various obstacles, traps, disadvantages and difficulties — especially Christina and Jadon — I got tired of the philosophy lessons. That’s not to say they’re bad, or poorly done, it just didn’t work for me. I felt like a lot of what was being said, especially in later chapters, was just going over ground already established in previous chapters.

For all of that, the world comes together in an interesting way. Dragons aren’t pets, aren’t sexy aphrodisiacs or mounts, they’re giant and powerful beasts with their own thoughts and their own magic. Honestly, I wanted to see more of them, but I’ll probably have to wait for further books once the characters are old enough and advanced enough in their training.

While some of the group, such as Jadon and Diar form a tenuous friendship, others have little to do with one another. It kept the plot interesting as different people were learning different facets of history, politics, secrets, lies, and social entanglements, and it was fun to wonder when they’d finally be drawn to one another — or what situation they’d find themselves in — that would allow them to put the pieces together. And there are a lot of pieces.

With mysterious mages, a lot of drinking, teenagers being teenagers, murders, secrets, plots and paranoia, there’s a lot of plotting going on in this book. And then there’s the magic, which feels reminiscent of Valdemar with it’s foresight, farsight, and so forth — especially with the academy turning students out as neutral forces of good and justice — but the book and the magic has its own flavour. This book is very much its own thing, and while I wasn’t entranced by every lecture and lesson, I still had a good time with this book and with these characters and I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

It’s full of friendships, people being people — flawed, foolish, assholes and hopeful dreamers — trying to make a better future. A magic system, complicated politics, threats of upcoming dangers, a few dragons and hints of a romance or two. It’s well worth the read if you’re in the mood for a magical school (though I think the pace could be a bit tighter, and some of the exposition trimmed. But that’s just me.)

I hope you give it a try.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this, I found the writing style appealing as there was lots of world building and descriptive writing that help me to visualise what was happening. It was also clever in incorporating politics and social and economic issues, for example surrounding equality and food shortages and so forth.
In this book we follow our main characters who enrol at Eshtem University in the hopes of joining the elite order of the Edrei, who are dragon riders and wield magic. I liked that we had different character perspectives as it meant we could follow the different storylines and then when they come together I was able to understand each character and have feelings towards them and how they acted. I also liked that it showcased the different classes of people and even though they were at the same university and expected to treat each other as equals we saw this wasn’t the case.
My only criticism would be that I would have liked to have seen more of the magic wielding or the dragons, as we did not really see a lot of this as it was all mainly the academic side.
Overall I did enjoy this book and would recommend to anyone who is into more high fantasy, world building and academia.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Hmm dragons, female leads, action and adventure. I thought I would love it a little more. The world building wasn’t as intricate and complex as I normally like. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is high fantasy - sort of. It clearly wants to be high fantasy, this is a world of magic, dragons, of politics and different factions, Houses, all clamouring against each other. It is rich and detailed in so many ways, and yet the things that feel the most important are somehow left vague. I read the whole book and I still don't really understand the magic system in this world. More importantly, the characters within it, don't seem to understand the magic system. Magic is hidden, it is ignored? Unless you're in this school, in which case you might have it and that could be good? but there is different types and its not really explained what? There are dragons but also the dragons have to stay away?

I struggled to understand the point of the school as well, although it could just be because we are following first years. But it seemed to just be talking about ethics and morality, in great detail, and nothing about magic or really fighting. There's a fight halfway through but nobody has really been taught how to fight, its all on what they knew before.

What I really didn't like was the gender treatment - girls can't do this, girls can't do that. It's a magical system and in theory they are all treated the same but they really aren't. I also didn't enjoy the hypocrisy, the stating over and over again that titles and houses didn't matter when they did. I understand that was partly the point being made, but it was beaten over our heads far too much. I didn't need a monologue every chapter or so about it.

Now onto what I did;

The mystery. The secrets, the layers, the way the author isn't afraid to let the story seep. There is so much going on behind the scenes, and once the characters started to work through things it just got better and better.

I enjoyed the various povs. Seeing these four main characters reflected in each other, finding out how they saw their own actions vs how other people saw them was great. They are a compelling, great cast and these characters are the highlight by far. I want to know more about them, I want to know why things have happened and I really want to know what happens next. At first I thought, like many fantasy books, the characters will all end up friends in the end but now I'm not so sure. They all have their own agenda, their own beliefs and they all want to do what they think is right - it just might not all line up the same and I am excited to read more.

Thank you to B.F. Peterson, Angry Robot, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Ellyrian Code in exchange for my honest review.

The Ellyrian Code is the first book in a new fantasy series. It follows four POVs: Jadon, Jenne, Diar, and Christina. All four come from different backgrounds and give readers a good perspective of the different class system that takes place at Eshtem University and in the society as a whole. All four are competing to become Edrei, magic-wielding, dragon-riding, peacekeepers. This book takes a character-centered approach, rather than focusing too heavily on the plot. Throughout this book, I really got a feel for the different characters, their motives, and their dreams if they are to succeed. As it is heavily character-focused, this book is a slower read, though as someone who loves to read about characters and what makes them tick, I did not mind it as much. I will say, this is not a romance book, and there really are no romantic undertones. Now, there is room for romantic undertones and exploration in future books, but this book really focuses on establishing who the characters are and why they behave the way that they do. This book is not going to be for everyone, just like a fast-paced epic fantasy book that is plot-heavy is not going to be for everyone. I do think that the lovers of character development and watching characters grow throughout a series will love this book. You have to be patient when reading it because it is slow to start, and while it does not necessarily pick up per se, it does reach a point where you are invested, and then it does not matter that it felt slow or ever felt slow.

The Ellyrian Code by B.F. Peterson follows four students as they navigate their first year at the prestigious Eshtem University in an attempt to become members of the Order of the Edrei, the peacekeepers and guardians of dragons and magic.

Despite only giving The Ellyrian Code 3 stars, I did enjoy reading it, and I plan to continue the series. I thought the world was interesting, and I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding Hezred. I also thought the characters were well done. There are 4 POV characters, and I never forgot which POV I was reading.

There are a few things I didn’t like. First, the ending felt abrupt and unsatisfying. The book ended after the first year at Eshtem, even though very little was resolved. It honestly felt to me like this was only the first half of a book. Second, I feel like I was promised dragons, but we only get a few glimpses of them throughout the book. Last, the romance between Diar and Jenne was very childish and immature.

This series has potential, and I will continue with book 2 when it is released. If you are interested in fantasy romance, this is not the book for you.

Thank you, Angry Robot Publishing and NetGalley, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.