I'd say 'The Shining' is up there. The isolated hotel, the descent into madness - it's a terrifying ride. The way King builds up the tension and horror is masterful.
One of his scariest stories could be 'It'. The idea of a shape - shifting, child - killing entity that can take the form of your worst fears is truly terrifying. Pennywise the Dancing Clown is an iconic and frightening villain.
In my opinion, 'It' is one of the scariest. The idea of an ancient, shape - shifting evil that preys on children is terrifying. Pennywise the Dancing Clown is an iconic and deeply disturbing villain. It lurks in the sewers of Derry, Maine, emerging every few decades to cause chaos and feed on fear.
One of his scariest short stories could be 'The Mist'. The sense of isolation and the unknown horrors lurking in the mist create a terrifying atmosphere. The characters are trapped in a supermarket, surrounded by the mist that holds all kinds of deadly creatures. The psychological tension as they try to figure out what to do and face their possible doom is truly spine - chilling.
Another very scary one is 'It'. The shape - shifting, child - murdering clown, Pennywise, has haunted the dreams of many readers. It plays on the fears of children and the unknown, lurking in the sewers and emerging to terrify the town of Derry every few decades.
In my opinion, 'It' is one of his scariest novels. The idea of an evil entity that can take different forms and prey on children's fears is truly terrifying. Pennywise, the clown, has become an iconic horror figure. The story's setting in a small town and the long - time span it covers, with the characters being haunted by their past traumas related to It, all contribute to the overall scariness.
I think 'Pet Sematary' is one of his scariest. The themes of death and resurrection are terrifyingly explored. Also, the sense of inevitability and doom creates a constant sense of dread.
I think 'Survivor Type' is extremely scary. It's about a man stranded on an island and the lengths he goes to in order to survive, including some truly gruesome acts. It makes you question how far a person can go when pushed to the brink, and the vivid descriptions add to the horror.
I think 'Pet Sematary' is also very scary. The idea of a burial ground that brings things back to life, but not in a normal way. The resurrected beings are often corrupted and bring a sense of unease and horror. It plays on our fears of death and the unknown.
For me, 'It' is at the top of the list. That clown lurking in the sewers and the way it manipulates the kids' fears is just nightmare fuel. Then there's 'Misery'. The idea of being held captive by a deranged fan is really scary. And 'Salem's Lot' is quite terrifying too. The slow takeover of a small town by vampires creates a sense of dread that builds throughout the story.
One of the scariest is 'It'. The idea of a shape - shifting entity that preys on children's fears is terrifying. It can take the form of a clown, which is a common fear among many people.