So what elements do I look for in the “ideal” story? Here are some elements and specific stories which illustrate them. Feel free to treat these as recommendations!

> SENSE OF WONDER:
China Miéville’s PERDITO STREET STATION and THE SCAR
Jack Vance’s THE STAR KING and “The Last Castle”
Samuel R. Delany’s NOVA and “The Star Pit”

> INTRICATE PLOTTING:
Poul Anderson’s TAU ZERO and THE BYWORLDER
Robert Silverberg’s NIGHTWINGS and DOWNWARD TO THE EARTH
Dan Simmons' HYPERION and THE FALL OF HYPERION

> OUTSTANDING WRITING:
Roger Zelazny’s LORD OF LIGHT and THIS IMMORTAL

> CHARACTERIZATION:
Ursula K Le Guin’s THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS
Michael Bishop’s BRITTLE INNINGS and NO ENEMY BUT TIME

> PASSION:
Andrea Barrett’s VOYAGE OF THE NARWHAL and SHIP FEVER
Joe ‘s Haldeman’s “For White Hill”