Michael J. Anthony

Dream, afterlife, or game?

Mike wakes between a desert and a jungle, with no memory of how he got there and no way out. Coldly rational and...

or

Michael J. Anthony

I'm a German writer in my thirties, and I released my first novel, Days of Madness, in 2025. I write under the pseudonym Michael J. Anthony and publish my books myself. In "real life," I work as a technical writer, creating manuals for technical systems and machinery. As much as I like my job, my true passion has always been fantasy. I started writing mostly because I was bored and looking for a new hobby (wildly inspiring, I know). To my own...

Books

View All

Days of Madness

The Lost - Volume 1

Book #1 from the series: The Lost

Dream, afterlife, or game?

Mike wakes between a desert and a jungle, with no memory of how he got there and no way out. Coldly rational and convinced none of it is real, he treats survival as a game with no stakes. But he isn't alone. Others wake around him, each clinging to a different explanation. And in a place with no fixed rules, what people...

Madmen’s Game

The Lost - Volume 2

Book #2 from the series: The Lost

Second installment of the fantasy–mystery novel series The Lost

Three years ago, Mike found himself in a desert. Since then, the mysterious valley he entered has devolved into a merciless playing field.

New arrivals celebrate a revolutionary game while Mike is labeled an NPC and leads a dangerous double life to protect his unusual family. Then...

Forgotten Madness

The Lost - Volume 3

Book #3 from the series: The Lost

Third installment of the fantasy–mystery novel series The Lost

Winter has consumed the valley. The great player city has fallen. The game is over.
As the valley grows ever more hostile, it falls to Mike and his friends to find a way out. But the path leads through the most dangerous of the three boundaries: the Maze Forest. No one has ever crossed...

Praise

"A fast-paced fantasy that mixes dystopian violence with heartwarming humanity."

– Kirkus Reviews

"Anthony’s complex and compelling worldbuilding will keep readers guessing about the true nature of this new world . . . The writing is strong and vivid, the characters and their interactions are relatable, and the dialogue feels authentic."

– Kirkus Reviews

Latest Updates

September 27, 2026

Want to Read City on the Edge Early?

ARCs for The Lost, Volume 4 are now available on BookSprout.

Pre-orders went live earlier this month, and now there's a second way in: City on the Edge is available as an Advance...

September 24, 2026

The Lost, Volume 4 — releasing November 15th

Hi readers,

I'm thrilled to share that City on the Edge, the fourth volume of The Lost, is now available for pre-order on Amazon:

Pre-order City on the Edge

Blurb

Once a quest...

August 29, 2026

Audiobook: Days of Madness (German)

Exciting news! Over the last few months, I have commissioned the production of the German audiobook of Days of Madness (Tage des Irrsinns). My first audiobook was narrated and...

View All

Blog

July 30, 2026

About The Lost

Hi reader,

here are some thoughts about my dark fantasy / mystery series.

What is The Lost about?

The story follows a group of unrelated people who awaken in an unknown world. They enter a place they come to call The Valley. There they encounter dangerous creatures, develop supernatural abilities, and some of them turn into dangerous creatures themselves.

As different theories about the nature of this world emerge, conflicts arise.

Most of the time, the story is told from the perspective of the...

July 29, 2026

About me and my writing

Hi new reader,

first of all, thanks for finding me (I know it wasn't easy). I'd like to use this blog as a kind of FAQ about me and my work. "FAQ" is a bit of a lie, though, since no one has ever actually asked me anything. So feel free to reach out if you have real questions.

Who am I?

I'm a German writer in my thirties, and I released my first novel, Days of Madness, in 2025. I write under the pseudonym Michael J. Anthony and publish my books myself. In "real life," I work as a technical...