Now that it’s 2009, I decided to look back on the year 2008. I’ve looked back at all of the movies and television I watched and the novels I read and drew some interesting conclusions. I’ve come up with some simple awards for the best and worst of the year below.

Books

Best Read

Winner: Dune by Frank Herbert
Runner up: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Fastest Read

Winner: Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling (2 hours)
Runner up: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Gunslinger by Stephen King (5 days)

Best Surprise

Winner: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Runner up: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Biggest Disappointment

Winner: The Drawing of Three by Stephen King
Runner up: Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Best Character

Winner: Harry Dresden (from Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files)
Runner up: Roland (from Stephen King’s Dark Tower series)

Movies

Best Movie

Winner: The Dark Knight
Runner up: Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda

Most Anticipated Movie

Winner: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (postponed)
Runner up: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Television

Best Returning Television Show

Winner: Lost
Runner up: The Office

Best New Television Show

Winner: Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles

Best Good Guy

Winner: Peter Petrelli (Heroes)
Runner up: Jack (Lost)

Best Bad Guy

Winner: Ben (Lost)
Runner up: Charles Widmore (Lost)

Hottest Lady

Winner: Cameron (Terminator)
Runner up: Kate (Lost), Elle (Heroes)

Audio

Best Podcast

Winner: MuggleCast
Runner up: The Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack