Merisse
#7023.64 adjusted 3.92 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 3 books Status Complete 1989–1991 Reading commitment Medium Wim Gijsen Last reviewed 2026-11-02
Overview
Merisse is a fantasy trilogy by the Dutch writer Wim Gijsen, published by Meulenhoff from 1989 to 1991. Merisse, a restless young woman, is carried off by Baron Peon to the doomed world of Poseidia, where political intrigue threatens the Great Crystals. After Poseidia is destroyed, she sails with a few survivors on a flying ship toward the mythical Green Island, and the last volume follows the ship Achnart and its passengers in search of a peaceful life. The books are meant to be read in order. Gijsen died in 1990 before finishing the third part, which Peter Schaap completed.
Mythic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (3 works) counts toward ranking
Merisse Wim Gijsen
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Een kring van stenen | 1989 | 1 | core | 3.49 (37 ratings) |
 | Het groene eiland | 1990 | 2 | core | 3.73 (26 ratings) |
 | De ceders van Urtan; Left unfinished at the author's death in 1990 and completed by Peter Schaap. | 1991 | 3 | core | 3.78 (23 ratings) |
Three fantasy novels following Merisse from the doomed world of Poseidia to the search for a Green Island.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Merisse? Merisse's Core Canon is 3 books.
- What is the reading order for Merisse? Publication order, starting with Een kring van stenen. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Merisse finished? Complete (1989–1991).
- How much reading does Merisse take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 3 Core Canon books).
- How is Merisse ranked? #702 in this site's official ranking, based on 86 reader ratings across 3 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #702?
Ranked #702 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.64 across 3 core books.
- A smaller readership (86 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.28 behind #701, Ash Princess.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 3 books · Complete · 86 ratings · Ranks #702 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length mythic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (3 Core Canon books)
- Een kring van stenen (1989)
- Het groene eiland (1990)
- De ceders van Urtan (1991)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
You might also like
Suggestions computed from what Merisse and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- The Bitterbynde Trilogy Epic fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 3.79
- Chronicles of Chaos Mythic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 3.77
- Gods of the Caravan Road Epic fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 3.71
- The Minotaur Trilogy Mythic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 3.67
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.64 across 86 ratings on 3 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 28 universes; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-02
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Boekbeschrijvingen.nl: Wim Gijsen Tier 2
- De Boekenplank: Wim Gijsen Tier 2
- Wikipedia: Wim Gijsen Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
Rule: Core Canon = Een kring van stenen (1989) to De ceders van Urtan (1991). The author's Rissan books (1980, 1981) are science fiction set in a different world and are excluded.