In The Damnation Game, three pivotal characters captivate the reader's attention. Of these, Joseph Whitehead stands out as the least compelling, at least from a literary perspective. As an ambitious gambler, Whitehead embarks on a perilous journey, seeking victory in a fateful game, only to ultimately meet his downfall—an outcome that echoes the familiar beats of the Faustian legend. The author's focus, however, seems to reside less in the ambitions of the tempted and more in the seductive allure of the tempter, giving life to a more vivid portrayal.

Mamoulian, sometimes referred to as The Last European, is not to be confused with the Devil, though he conjures an aura of damnation that would surely earn the Devil's nod of approval. Once a mortal, Mamoulian surrendered his humanity to acquire supernatural powers and a semblance of immortality, sustained by the consumption and obliteration of human souls. He embodies a void, a chasm where emotions and sensations cease to exist—a literal "nothingness personified," as Barker aptly describes. This singular embodiment of malevolence places him alongside iconic figures such as Milton’s Satan and Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula.

On the periphery of the central conflict between Whitehead and Mamoulian, yet inevitably drawn into its abyss, is Marty Strauss. An ex-convict, Marty finds himself employed by Whitehead as a personal bodyguard. His confrontation with Mamoulian—and his subsequent realization of the nihilistic threat Mamoulian poses—not only sparks his own humanistic renewal but is crucial to the author’s exploration of the novel’s core themes. It is largely through Marty's lens that the reader discerns these thematic elements.

Amidst the novel’s array of minor characters, Anthony Breer, known as The Razor-Eater, commands special attention. This disturbing figure, under Mamoulian’s sinister control, may well be the most vivid portrayal of sadomasochistic depravity in literature. The shocking revelation of his true nature as a decaying zombie, slowly unraveling throughout the narrative, provides an oddly fitting contrast to his orchestration of some of the novel's most graphically intense scenes.