I finished reading The War of the End of the World.

It was one the best novels i have read recently. It tells the story of a tragic even in Brazil's history. The massacre of a an anti-government cult located in north (and extremely poor) brazil. It's a fictional tale, but based on some of the googling i did on the subject the key time-lines and events are correct.

The story is very engaging and easy to follow and the characters are not banal and flat. It touches on the cynicism of politics, the craziness of civil war, and human behavior in times of crisis. I recommend this book highly!

I don't have much experience with south american writers, but if you'd like a taste i'd recommend The War of the End of the World over One Hundred Years of Solitude.