Las lanzas coloradas / The Red Lances
Novel , 1931
Cátedra
Pages: 302
Set during the Venezuelan War of Independence, this is a historical novel that doesn’t aim for strict fidelity to real events in all its episodes, but rather seeks to capture the foundational and almost mythical character of this moment in history — a moment shaped by larger-than-life figures, whether real, like Simón Bolívar, or fictional, like Presentación Campos, depicted as a force of nature. It is also a war novel and an adventure story, written in a powerful, expressive style, with remarkable battle scenes full of violence and primal energy. The novel is considered a key influence on later Latin American fiction, particularly in its search for a distinct narrative identity.