Zelazny's short story "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" was written at a time when Zelazny and Heinlein sounded very much alike. Zelazny presents a flawed human character (overconfident, slightly stuck-up scholar), sends him to a perfect setting (Mars, to study the Martians), has him save the world (shows Martians a way to avoid extinction, and makes them take it), and then send him for a fall (the one he loves doesn't love him). Thus, the character is seen to grow, and the flaw is corrected.

"A Rose for Ecclesiastes" can be found in "Four for Tomorrow," a collection of four of Zelazny's best short stories.