Marty Strauss, a gambling addict recently released from prison, is hired to be the personal bodyguard of Joseph Whitehead, one of the wealthiest men in the world. The job proves more complicated and dangerous than he thought, however, as Marty soon gets caught up in a series of supernatural events involving Whitehead, his daughter (who is a heroin addict), and a devilish man named Mamoulian, with … with whom Whitehead made a Faustian bargain many years earlier, during World War II.
As time passes, Mamoulian haunts Whitehead using his supernatural powers (such as the ability to raise the dead), urging him to complete his pact with him. Eventually Whitehead decides to escape his fate after a few encounters with Mamoulian and having his wife, former bodyguard, and now his daughter Carys taken away from him. With hope still left to save Carys, Marty Strauss, although reluctant to get involved in the old man Whiteheads deserved punishment, decides to get involved and attempt to save the innocent gifted addict from being another victim to the damnation game.
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This book has shaped me in some of the elements I employ in my own writings. I found this to be an extremely wonderful read and glad to have it in my collection.
I love this book. This was the 1st novel of Clive Barkers I read after the Novela Hellbound Heart and the Books Of Blood. This book is great.
Too much talking among weird, not scary people.
One of the best books I’ve ever read.
The Damnation Game is the first and still the finest of Mr. Barker’s literary accomplishments, arguably the pinnacle of the genre and certainly the progenitor of one of the most original literary collections ever penned. Since the 29th of every month is the sacred day of Hekate, its publication on August 29, 1984 was appropriate, perhaps an …