One school of thought would say that God authored the Bible...through His interaction with always fallible humans. There was murder, genocide, dishonesty, and pride. Israel was "told" to wipe out other nations to avoid being wiped out herself. (Kinda like America was "told" to fight terrorism to avoid being terrorized.) The text would say that "The Lord told us to do this or that.." But this was humans reporting on what they heard from God.(or that other spirit,unknowingly) The same is true in America. Jesus said that one is either for Him or against Him. George W.Bush, in a message to the "terrorists" of the world and the nations who harbored them..was that they needed to be "for us or against us."
My point is that one aspect of the religious state of mind is declaring how one "hears" from God.
The story of Jeus Christ is markedly different. It tells of a man who never sinned yet who acted and interacted with people who either loved Him or hated Him. If Jeus Christ told George Dubya and his inner circle to sell all that they have and follow Him, they would probably try and nuke Him.
We hear what we want to hear.
The other school of thought, logical and unbiased, hears only from the human authors. The book is but a collection of stories.
Were the characters...specifically Jesus...the character behind the book...factual or fictitious? Depends on who you hear it from.
I can honestly say that I have heard from Jesus before.