It’s time for the third quarterly check-in for the Mount TBR challenge hosted by Bev @ My Reader’s Block. While the last time round I was pretty satisfied by my performance having almost climbed half the mountain in half the year, this time round I am pretty short of miles. I have just added one more book to my pile, so in all I have read six books which means I have to finish six more in the remaining weeks, to successfully scale the mountain. The only silver lining is that I have reviewed the one read in this quarter: Prime Directive by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. My first Star Trek novel, it had been gathering dust on the shelves since 2002, in effect becoming the book, that (till date) had been sitting on my shelves the longest.
Bev has also asked us to answer a few questions.
Who has been your favorite character so far? And tell us why, if you like.
My favourite character so far has been Dr. Leonard McCoy of the Star ship Enterprise whom I encountered in Prime Directive, the latest read for the challenge. Bones has been my favourite since the time I first saw Star Trek back in the Eighties He is quite simply the heart of the Enterprise, and over the years I have come to admire his humour and humanism more and more.
I must add though that my fascination for McCoy stems in large part from the fact that he was played by the constantly underrated and criminally underappreciated DeForest Kelley. Kelley brought forth all the compassion that lay beneath the cranky, crusty exterior of an old country doctor. It’s sad that he never quite got his due.
a hot cup of pleasure 
Neer, Kelley/McCoy was always overshadowed by Nimoy/Spock and Shatner/Kirk but I thought he played a significant role in the series and was very close to his captain, as friend and philosopher than only as the onboard doctor. BTW I am continents away from my TBR pile and I have decided to read whatever catches my fancy.
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I liked DeForest Kelley in the role of McCoy also. Nice post, Neer.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one at this point in the challenge. I signed up to read 12 books, and I'm just starting #6. Hopefully both of us can finish in time!
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Julie, I too am very glad that you are more or less at the same point. [Misery loves company:)] Thanks for having a look and let us both hope for the best.
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Thanks a lot Tracy. Glad that you too like Kelley in that role. I read recently that Gene Roddenberry had asked him to choose either Spock's or McCoy's role. I am so happy that he chose the latter. And also happy that despite Spock's phenomenal popularity Kelley never regretted his decision insisting that he could never have performed Spock the way Nimoy did.
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Prashant, I think the three of them complemented each other beautifully. Compared to Kirk and Spock, McCoy's role was much more passive but he did have a moral authority over both of them. By all accounts, in real life too, Shatner and Nimoy were (and I don't mean this in a negative sense) more ambitious and aggressive than Kelley who was kind of laid-back and accommodating. I rather like the fact that you are reading whatever catches your fancy.
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Neeru – I give you credit for taking on this challenge. You've made progress and that's something!!
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I had planned to take part in the TBR but then wasn't sure I could make it so well done for sticking with it Neer!
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I love, love, love Dr. McCoy–Especially with DeForest Kelley playing him. Kelley was a fine man as well as a fine actor. Karl Urban does a good job in the new movies (although they need more of him with Kirk and Spock!)–but he has huge shoes to fill.
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Thank you so much Margot. I tend to sign up for a lot of challenges and by the fag end of the year realise that I have been overambitious.
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Thanks Sergio. I wish you had taken part in the TBR because not only does it help those sagging shelves but you might also win a prize which ironically adds to those shelves but then who doesn't love an overflowing library. 🙂
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Oh I am so HAPPY that you too love love love Dr. McCoy. DeForest Kelley is one of my favourite actors ever and by all accounts was a decent, caring man, very loyal to those whom he loved and very appreciative of his fans.I tried watching the first of the new movies but it just didn't work for me. Too much of noise.AND Bev thank you so much for the prize. I am doubly glad I got it this time. My favourite character has proved lucky for me. 🙂
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