I would say 'On Writing' by Stephen King is also among the least scary. It's more of a memoir and a guide to writing. It gives insights into King's life, his writing process, and some writing advice. There's no horror content in it at all.
'Hearts in Atlantis' is another one. It's a blend of different stories, some of which have a touch of the supernatural but are more about the characters' lives and how they are affected by events. It's not as spine - chilling as some of King's horror - heavy novels.
Well, 'Cell' is also often regarded as one of his least popular ones. The story, which involves a strange cell - phone - related apocalypse, didn't resonate as much with the general audience. Maybe it was the concept that was a bit too out - there for some. It also had some pacing issues that made it less appealing than his more successful books like 'The Shining' or 'It'.
'Carrie' can also be considered relatively less scary among his works. Although it has some disturbing scenes, it is a rather straightforward story of a bullied girl getting revenge. It doesn't have the same level of psychological terror or complex, lingering horror that many of King's other novels do.
For me, 'The Shawshank Redemption', which was originally a novella by Stephen King. It's a story of hope and friendship in prison. There are no real supernatural scares or grotesque monsters. It's more about the human spirit and how people can persevere in difficult situations.
I think 'The Body' is not too scary compared to some of his other works. It's more about friendship and growing up. It tells the story of a group of boys on a journey to find a dead body. There are some tense moments, but it doesn't have the same level of horror as many of King's horror - centric novels.
I think 'Joyland' is relatively less scary. It has a bit of mystery and nostalgia but not the intense scares you might expect from some of his other works.
I'm not sure which one is Stephen King's least favorite novel exactly. He has written so many, and he hasn't made it entirely clear which one he likes the least.
For me, 'It' is the most terrifying. The idea of a malevolent clown that can appear in different forms and feed on fear is just spine - chilling. Pennywise lurking in the sewers and coming after kids is nightmare fuel.
Some of the highly ranked Stephen King novels include 'The Shining'. It's a classic with its terrifying story of a family in an isolated hotel. The psychological horror and the build - up of tension are masterfully done. Another top - ranked one is 'It'. The story of a group of kids facing an ancient evil in the form of a clown has captured the imagination of many readers. And 'Misery' is also very popular. The idea of an obsessed fan holding a writer captive is both disturbing and engaging.
In my opinion, 'It' is extremely scary. That clown, Pennywise, is just so menacing and the idea of a shape - shifting evil that lurks in the sewers of a town is really terrifying. 'The Shining' is also very frightening. The haunted hotel and the slow descent into madness of the main character are quite spooky.
One of the darkest is 'Pet Sematary'. It deals with the theme of death and the unnatural resurrection of the dead, which brings a lot of horror and unease. The idea of burying loved ones in a cursed place and what comes back is truly terrifying.