Welcome to Litsy!

This 1967 hard sci-fi novel starts with a neat premise: The Soviets establish themselves on the moon first, and when the Americans eventually arrive, a bleak, realpolitik-infused deconstruction of peaceful space exploration mythology ensues. This is all stock characters and PLOT, but told with suspense, technical detail, and a Golding-esque view of human nature. While niche, this is an interesting warning cry from the heart of the space race.