The damnation game

by Clive Barker

No cover — Clive Barker: The damnation game (1987, Putnams)

379 pages

English language

Published Dec. 7, 1987 by Putnams.

ISBN:: 978-0-399-13278-0

(21 reviews)

'It was an odd disease. Its symptoms were like infatuation–palpitations, sleeplessness. Its only certain cure, death...'

Chance had ruled Marty Strauss' life for as long as he could remember. Now at last luck was turning his way.

Parolled from prison, he becomes bodyguard to Joseph Whitehead, one of the richest men in Europe. But Whitehead has also played with chance – an ancient game which gave him vast power and wealth, in exchange for his immortal soul. Now the forces he played against are back to claim what's theirs. Terrifying forces, with the power to raise the dead; and Marty is trapped between his human masters and Hell itself, with just one last, desperate game left to play...

8 editions

Thomas Gaffney reviewed The damnation game by Clive Barker

Review of 'The damnation game' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Not finished yet, but if anyone sees me reading this and decides to give it a shot, I would like to say to you: PLEASE, give it until page 200 or so. PLEASE. The book starts off slooooow. If it started off any slower, I would have burned my copy, rather than merely throwing it across the room in disgust.
But!
But, once Marty Strauss is settled in at Whitehead's place, the story picks up and gets GOOD! And I mean good in a scary, somewhat-gory way. So please! Keep reading!

UPDATE

Finally finished. Good story. Creepy. Gory. Evil. Don't know if it's one of the best horror stories of all-time (I got this book from a list of top 50 or 100 best horror novels) but I did enjoy. Like I said...Don't give up on it!