An entertaining novel about the adventures of a ten year-old girl who faces unusual dangers and meets strange creatures after travelling through the forbidden Time Door to Ynys Haf, before the magic powers of Merlin come to her rescue; for readers aged 9-12 years. The third volume in the magical trilogy, The Time Door Trilogy.

Nofel ddifyr am anturiaethau merch ddeg oed yn wynebu peryglon anarferol ac yn cyfarfod â chreaduriaid rhyfedd wedi iddi deithio trwy ddrws gwaharddedig Amser i Ynys Haf, cyn i alluoedd swyn Merlin ei hachub; i ddarllenwyr 9-12 oed. Y drydedd gyfrol yn y drioleg, The Time Door Trilogy.

What do you do if you love reading about wizards, witches and time travel, but don’t have time to tackle long Harry Potters or Tolkiens? You read Betsan the Brave – especially if, like Betsan, you’re feeling ‘sort of miserable and flat’, now that Christmas is over.

As you read, you will find out what happens to mortals who disobey magicians like Merlin and dare to go through the Time Door. Ten-year-old Betsan M. Price from Blaengwynfi does just that. Betsan is an engaging heroine who deserves her nickname and who copes with an enormous baby giant, a Hansel and Gretel-type witch, a fiery dragon, spiteful fairies and slavering wolves with streetwise resourcefulness and a rather quirky moral code.

The dark side of the story is always lightened by the narrative’s wry humour and sparky language, though the arch asides may irritate some readers. Depth is added to a straightforward plot by alternately moving from Betsan’s adventures to Gwydion’s conflict of loyalties between Betsan and Merlin his master. Incidentally, why not ‘Myrddin’?

Short, funny and full of magic – this is just the book to while away a dull winter’s evening.

Ann Saer

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio’r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.