#1
First post - huzzah!
The first novel of Clive's that I read was The Damnation Game. This was after I'd read all six volumes of The Books Of Blood, stories which had knocked me sideways with their originality and daring - before Clive I'd been reading James Herbert, Stephen King, Guy N. Smith and Shaun Hutson. After The Books Of Blood everything that had gone before seemed tame and boring.
The Damnation Game seems to me something of a forgotten classic. A standalone novel, it's never been made into a film, although it could be argued that some of the elements of the story found their way into Hellraiser. It's the story of a prison convict who is made an offer he can't refuse, early release so he can work as a bodyguard to a powerful and wealthy man. But what is he guarding Mr Whitehead against?
Like The Books Of Blood, The Damnation Game isn't afraid to be daring, both sexually and horrifically, while at the same time taking the traditional horror tropes and addressing them in an intelligent and informed style. And Clive's love of the language is also in full display, making each sentence an absolute delight.
I've not read it in a few years - I must rescue it from the loft sometime - but I still regard it as one of Clive's absolute best works.
Edited by
Roger on September 24 2013 20:58
Posted by
Roger on September 23 2013 19:56
#2
Welcome AngelToSome. Great to have you on board.
Nice little review of the Damnation Game.
I haven't read this in a while but I do remember it being quite dark.
I'm not sure why no one has tried to get it on the big screen.
Posted by
Roger on September 24 2013 19:50
#4
Ryan wrote:
Jose and I did an episode of the Podcast about it. We felt that Lord of Illusions was actually a combination of Damnation Game and The Last Illusion. Nix was a very Mammoulian-like character.
Well that would explain a few things. I'll catch up to that podcast soon.
I haven't gone back and re-read it because it was one of my lesser favorites.
Posted by
Aello on October 09 2013 23:17
#5
Yes, I would agree it is one dark little story. The imagery in the end is just amazing, it certainly could become a cult classic if brought to the big screen and in the right hands, of course.