“Epic Rivalry” covers the space race in a unique fashion, focusing not so much on the various achievements of the Soviet and American programs, but rather on the ways in which they were each impacted by the other. This interweaving perspective provides far greater context than a work that solely recounted each program separately.
It may sound odd (and isn’t meant to detract from the overall work), but the Foreward (by Sergei Khrushchev) was one of the highlights of the book. In a few powerful pages, he helps set the tone for the book by describing in personal terms some of the key dynamics in the Soviet program. It’s a tightly written snapshot of the power and intensity of the Cold War rivalry between the two nations. (After finishing, I re-read it and enjoyed it even more.)
Additional strengths:
– Detailed descriptions of the Soviet achievements
– Insight into the dynamics of inter-service rivalries in the pre-NASA era of the American program
– Focus on the launch facilities of both programs ( 
) Reviewed by Rick Wilhelm