The Encyclopedia of the Dead

These musings on the themes of death, literature and love include a surreal tale about a religious sect that meticulously records the lives of the dead in preparation for Judgement Day. ``Kis attempts to dazzle with his showmanship as he restlessly dons one stylistic mantle after another in this richly inventive collection of stories,'' said PW. A Tomb for Boris Davidovich , the author's depiction of a totalitarian state, will simultaneously appear in a Penguin paperback ($7.95 * ISBN 0-14-005452-*9 ). (May)