This is just for genre, OK? (mostly)
So I should do some kind of summing up post before everyone forgets 2011.
Books:
My favourite is, quite predictably, Steven Erikson's The Crippled God (don't act surprised). It was heartbreaking and heroic and I had to stop myself from crying in public places. It delivered what I didn't even dare to hope for but secretly wanted. And he finished the series and already has finished his new book.
My other favourite books were Terry Pratchett's I Shell Wear Midnight and Hannu Rajaniemi's The Quantum Thief. Two completely different books but both great in their own way.
I also read 3 new series this year and I liked them all. I think both N.K Jemisin's The Inheritance Trilogy and Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogies are fun and have a lot cool concepts. However, the series I liked most was The Laundry by Charles Stross. All three are full of action and world changing adventure. All are a little bit of fluff - no where near the epicness and emotional ride of MBotF - but very enjoyable nonetheless. However I just love the world and concept of the Laundry the most. The government agency that takes care of the unauthorised magic use and stops world from ending - what's not to like. Maybe it's because magic based on maths always will be closer to my mind then the one granted by gods and zombies are just not my thing so they were already a little behind on the start. Maybe because Laundry is such a nice mix of mundane and otherwordly, full of weird characters both alien and human (like Pinky and Brains - main hero roommates who are tech wizards who spend their lives in basement trying to get their work as Q done while realizing their true intrests like building perfect speakers). I love saving the world on government budget with paperwork that's more insane then the eldricht horror (like Pinky and Brains being forced to attend the Gay Pride to maintain their security clearance because only openness can guarantee you won't get blackmailed). And Angelton. And CASE NIGHTMARE GREEN.
I keep trying urban fantasy and invariably get bored - at least all I tried this year was on sale: Amber Benson's Cat's Claw, Stacia Kane's Unholy Ghosts, even Gail Carriger's The Parasol Protectorate is only fun in small doses.
I liked the premise of the book one of The Entire and The Rose - Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon - it was a lot of fun at the beginning. I enjoyed it, loved the world and go through it fast but then the heroes being better then anyone in two universes, including the one he is alien in got on my nerves and I quit 2/3rd through (yes, I was so annoyed I quit just before ending - it became too predictable).
I got stuck in the middle of The City & The City and can't finish. Instead I'm finishing Surface Detail and I'm enjoying it much more (AI warships and artefacts, war and revenge and War to destroy Hell - all of Hells :)
Movies:
The only one that I fell in love with was The Muppets. It's just amazing.
I liked other films that premièred at the same time - Arthur Christmas and Hugo. They were all perfect holiday treats. I also liked Hanna. And Super 8 was a very nostalgic treat.
All the others I saw were OK but nothing special. I didn't hate Battle of Los Angeles, Cowboys and Aliens and In Time as many did. I had fun watching them but they were neither special nor memorable.
TV:
Many of my favourites have ended (SGU) or are burning through their last episodes (Eureka, Chuck) or are in constant danger of being canceled (Fringe, Nikita). After Alphas joined other Syfy shows that I watch but don't really care about (all except Eureka) I didn't have much hope for TV. However this autumn was actually better then expected. I suspected I'm going to like Once Upon a Time but I didn't expct to love it as much as I do (Emma, Snow, Regina). Revenge became my favourite guilty pleasure (Victoria and Emily) - ok one none genre thing. And then there was American Horror Story with all it's demented storylines and crazy characters (Constance and Addy and Sarah Paulson playing psychic when she played a ghost on American Gothic).
I'm starting to warm up to Grimm and Person of Interest, although the couple of guys saving the people is not my kind of story. But they have kind of nice dynamic and the stories get more interesting.
The Games of Thrones is beautiful and I like it better as a TV series. Homeland was fascinating. The only good thing about Dexter left are the season theme characters (I liked Colin Hanks as Travis) but the ending made me facepalm so hard.
About the really depressing I already ranted.
Books:
My favourite is, quite predictably, Steven Erikson's The Crippled God (don't act surprised). It was heartbreaking and heroic and I had to stop myself from crying in public places. It delivered what I didn't even dare to hope for but secretly wanted. And he finished the series and already has finished his new book.
My other favourite books were Terry Pratchett's I Shell Wear Midnight and Hannu Rajaniemi's The Quantum Thief. Two completely different books but both great in their own way.
I also read 3 new series this year and I liked them all. I think both N.K Jemisin's The Inheritance Trilogy and Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogies are fun and have a lot cool concepts. However, the series I liked most was The Laundry by Charles Stross. All three are full of action and world changing adventure. All are a little bit of fluff - no where near the epicness and emotional ride of MBotF - but very enjoyable nonetheless. However I just love the world and concept of the Laundry the most. The government agency that takes care of the unauthorised magic use and stops world from ending - what's not to like. Maybe it's because magic based on maths always will be closer to my mind then the one granted by gods and zombies are just not my thing so they were already a little behind on the start. Maybe because Laundry is such a nice mix of mundane and otherwordly, full of weird characters both alien and human (like Pinky and Brains - main hero roommates who are tech wizards who spend their lives in basement trying to get their work as Q done while realizing their true intrests like building perfect speakers). I love saving the world on government budget with paperwork that's more insane then the eldricht horror (like Pinky and Brains being forced to attend the Gay Pride to maintain their security clearance because only openness can guarantee you won't get blackmailed). And Angelton. And CASE NIGHTMARE GREEN.
I keep trying urban fantasy and invariably get bored - at least all I tried this year was on sale: Amber Benson's Cat's Claw, Stacia Kane's Unholy Ghosts, even Gail Carriger's The Parasol Protectorate is only fun in small doses.
I liked the premise of the book one of The Entire and The Rose - Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon - it was a lot of fun at the beginning. I enjoyed it, loved the world and go through it fast but then the heroes being better then anyone in two universes, including the one he is alien in got on my nerves and I quit 2/3rd through (yes, I was so annoyed I quit just before ending - it became too predictable).
I got stuck in the middle of The City & The City and can't finish. Instead I'm finishing Surface Detail and I'm enjoying it much more (AI warships and artefacts, war and revenge and War to destroy Hell - all of Hells :)
Movies:
The only one that I fell in love with was The Muppets. It's just amazing.
I liked other films that premièred at the same time - Arthur Christmas and Hugo. They were all perfect holiday treats. I also liked Hanna. And Super 8 was a very nostalgic treat.
All the others I saw were OK but nothing special. I didn't hate Battle of Los Angeles, Cowboys and Aliens and In Time as many did. I had fun watching them but they were neither special nor memorable.
TV:
Many of my favourites have ended (SGU) or are burning through their last episodes (Eureka, Chuck) or are in constant danger of being canceled (Fringe, Nikita). After Alphas joined other Syfy shows that I watch but don't really care about (all except Eureka) I didn't have much hope for TV. However this autumn was actually better then expected. I suspected I'm going to like Once Upon a Time but I didn't expct to love it as much as I do (Emma, Snow, Regina). Revenge became my favourite guilty pleasure (Victoria and Emily) - ok one none genre thing. And then there was American Horror Story with all it's demented storylines and crazy characters (Constance and Addy and Sarah Paulson playing psychic when she played a ghost on American Gothic).
I'm starting to warm up to Grimm and Person of Interest, although the couple of guys saving the people is not my kind of story. But they have kind of nice dynamic and the stories get more interesting.
The Games of Thrones is beautiful and I like it better as a TV series. Homeland was fascinating. The only good thing about Dexter left are the season theme characters (I liked Colin Hanks as Travis) but the ending made me facepalm so hard.
About the really depressing I already ranted.