# which Stephen King novels are least scary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2005, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245 "2005-12-12T11:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/1 "2005-12-12T11:54:08Z")
I love reading Stephen King and think he is one of our generation’s best storytellers (and not a bad writer either). However, although I love the story behind most horror novels (and films), I really don’t have the stomach for the scary bits. Yeah, I am a bit of a horror wimp. To the day, the scariest thing I have ever read was The Shining, and although it was an excellent story, I think it scarred me for life (I still find myself counting grandfather clock chimes with growing unease). At the same time, I am now 5/7 of the way through the Dark Tower series, and I really love it. There are a few horrific moments, but nothing at all too scary for me. Anyway, getting to my question, which of the 40+ books Mr King has written would you recommend as the **least** scary? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/2 "2005-12-12T13:12:00Z")
On Writing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/3 "2005-12-12T13:13:42Z")
_Different Seasons_ has four medium-length stories, none of which are really horror (though _The Breathing Method_ gets a bit gruesome). Of the other three, _Apt Pupil_ gets a bit freaky, while _Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption_ and _The Body_ are wonder stories that aren’t scary at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/4 "2005-12-12T13:15:03Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > > wonder stories Ahem. **Wonderful** stories. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/5 "2005-12-12T13:15:56Z")
Neither **Hearts in Atlantis** or **The Green Mile** even try to be scary, though both contain a supernatural element. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/6 "2005-12-12T13:16:23Z")
**Misery** is the least scary because there is absolutely no supernatural in it, and the most scary because it could actually happen. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/7 "2005-12-12T13:16:53Z")
[Hearts in Atlantis](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671024248/ref=pd_lpo_k2a_1_txt/104-9722725-7850361?%5Fencoding=UTF8) is pretty tame. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/8 "2005-12-12T14:20:52Z")
Dolores Claiborne 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/9 "2005-12-12T14:27:19Z")
Eyes of the Dragon, which is not horror at all, butfantasy. Not the greatest fantasy ever written but still quite good. And there’s supposedly this rumor out that he’s written all these books about a Dark Tower or something, about some gun-slinging idiot running around the countryside. Haven’t tried them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/10 "2005-12-12T14:32:19Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > butfantasy Stephen King did porn? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/11 "2005-12-12T14:38:12Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Stephen King did porn? Of course. Every one of his books had some. Nyah. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/12 "2005-12-12T15:32:42Z")
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, while not one of his better books, wasn’t bad and not scary. Bag of Bones is a little scary, but was somewhat of a departure for him, and a fantastic read. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/13 "2005-12-12T16:27:07Z")
> [@TommyTutone](#): > > The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, while not one of his better books, wasn’t bad and not scary. > > . Scary is relative. As a parent of young kids this one terrified me. It’s like what Annie-Xmas said about Misery, in that it’s something that could actually. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/14 "2005-12-12T16:40:00Z")
I didn’t find **Cujo** to br that bad, actually. And I’ve never read the book, but if the movie is any indication, **Carrie** is only scary for the last 1/10th. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/15 "2005-12-12T16:48:10Z")
It all depends on what scares you. I found Bag of Bones to have some very scary moments (there is a rape scene and some nicely creepy supernatural stuff), and Tom Gordon was so compelling I couldn’t put it down, and isn’t scary except in the little girl lost in the woods way. I also listened to Bag of Bones on tape after reading it, and it’s much more intense that way. I didn’t find Salem’s Lot to be scary at all (vampires don’t really frighten me), but my atheist brother bought a crucifix and kept it by his bed (just in case) after reading it. The Dark Tower books are wonderful. Try The Stand. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/16 "2005-12-12T17:08:53Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > The Dark Tower books are wonderful. Try The Stand. Yes, I meant to mention the Stand. I remember it was really popular when I was in high school and heard it mentioned to be perhaps his best book. Oh, and I read the first half of the Plant, before he pulled the plug. It wasn’t scary either, just a bit silly! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/17 "2005-12-12T17:24:22Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Stephen King did porn? No, that was Ann Rice as A. N. Roquelaure [_The Sleeping Beauty trilogy_](http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?isbn=0452156610) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/18 "2005-12-12T18:03:12Z")
> [@TommyTutone](#): > > The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, while not one of his better books, wasn’t bad and not scary. > > Bag of Bones is a little scary, but was somewhat of a departure for him, and a fantastic read. _Not scary_?! Well, different strokes. That bit where she’d been under a bush or something, or picking berries there, I forget, and then walks away from it, and realizes the Thing was _right there_?! Well. Not scary to you, then. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/19 "2005-12-12T23:25:39Z")
> [@Endemic](#): > > Oh, and I read the first half of the Plant, before he pulled the plug. It wasn’t scary either, just a bit silly! How did you happen to get your hands on a copy of The Plant? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245/20 "2005-12-12T23:31:14Z")
Except for _Thinner,_ none of the first five books King wrote as Richard Bachman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard\_Bachman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bachman)) are horror, and they’re not scary (but still emotionally gripping in other ways). _(The Regulators_ is horror, and pretty scary IMO, but it didn’t come out until long after Bachman’s cover had been blown.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-stephen-king-novels-are-least-scary/335245.md?page=2)