This is a really interesting book with a scary premise: What if the President finds out that all his beliefs are wrong or sketchy and uses his power to alter the past to match his notions of "the truth". Even if that "truth" isn't what really happened. Political, pertinent, and a bit alarming.

By Presidential Order Kindle Edition
by Anthony Anglorus
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review
By Presidential Order is one of the great books that benefits from the arrival of e-books and the new movement of independent publishers. While from the 1970's to September 10, 2001, this book might have seen a short run from a small house, the fact that this is a religious, speculative science fiction novel involving a very unbalanced, charismatic President who allows his own beliefs to overrun the dangers of a new science and the kidnapping of Jeshu (Jesus or Yeshua), it would probably not see the light of day. But thankfully, e-books allows us to experience an important book that makes us question where our beliefs come from and what happens when scientists do the work without considering the dangers involved.
The characters are original and true to themselves. Jeshu is a magnetic personality, who is a man of the people, trying to preach love and tolerance. The President, an Evangelical Fundamentalist, is more interested in the writings of man than the actual Christ he is meant to worship. There sly naming games – Ryan Kane as the head of the CIA. Ryan is Gaelic for king, Kane of course is another spelling of Cain the first betrayer. There are also slights of hand, bringing in other religions, from the Goddess Culture, with the appearance of Mary, Mary Magdeline and Martha (the Christian version of the pagan Triple goddess) to the story of where Jeshu was from 12 to 29 – studying religions from mystery schools of Egypt that were nearly dead, to Buddhism and his realization that all religions have similarities. The President that is presented, as he was written in 2015 and early 2016, was eerily prescience. Where our current leader, Donald Trump, is as evangelical about what he loves most, money. President Fetter (another name play on restraints) is so deeply Fundamentalist, so evangelical, I have the same feeling I had on November 9, 2016. How the hell did he get in office?
Dialogue git each character, and there is no 'thees” and “thous' in the ancient speakers. Centurions behave as officers would behave today. Caroline, of the blue hair, has the odd confident in science, shy in personality of beautiful, intellectual women. And Jeshu, he sounds like the Jesus I believed in when I was a young Catholic and the Wise Man whose words I believe in know as a Wiccan.
Mr Anglorus presents the science necessary to travel through time, both ways, in such a way that right brainers like me can grasp it. I felt like I was listening to a Neil DeGrasse Tyson lecture about astrophysics. I can wrap my brain around what is meant, even if I can't do the math.
Pages turn themselves because the plot is layered and fitted like an expert game of Tetris. Will the scientists when out over the crazy POTUS in what happens to the kidnapped Jeshu?
I have only one question, why did they have to actually physically kidnap him to please Fetter? Modern special effects can put Ewan McGregor's face on his stunt double during a light-saber fight in Episode One. It would be cheaper to CG the resurrection.
5 of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Presidential-Order-Anthony-Anglorus-ebook/dp/B01MRU13UD/

I’m a sucker for time travel stories and the consequences that can arise. Admittedly the premise had me hooked due to the current political climate in America.

When I first started it I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into because conversation between Judas and an implied Jesus didn’t come off all that believable to me – and this is knowing I’m reading a book about time travel which as far as we know is purely scifi. The conversation between the two didn’t really seem to ‘flow’ naturally and considering that we’ve been soaking in the idea for centuries that Judas was a willing traitor this opening already had me wondering what I’ve gotten myself into but I kept reading because I’ve read quite a few books that started off rough only to be wonderful by the end.

The dialogue between characters continued to be on the rough side. Maybe I’ve watched too many Kiefer Sutherland tv shows but I just don’t buy that government characters would talk to each other in this manner. The writing in regards to setting up scenes is very descriptive and you’re able to get a good feel for where you are and what’s going on but the dialogue was cringe worthy at times. At one point he has Jesus use the phrases “Ah well” and “I suppose” among others, I suddenly got an image of a man not in Middle Eastern robes but wearing overalls, muddy boots, straw hat and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth speaking with a southern drawl. I’m all for taking liberties to an extent but it would’ve been nice to try and keep historical figures accurate to their time and place in history when you’re not dropping them in modern day Alabama.

Unfortunately the dialogue problem just never seemed to get any better. It came off too much like it was written for kids at a middle school level if not earlier. Some other extreme liberties were taken like with the crucifixion. Jesus apparently agrees his death isn’t necessary only that people believe he died which goes against a very fundamentalist aspect of Christianity. It was about more than his physical body just dying on a cross so I’m not sure if the author doesn’t have an understanding of the basic tenets of the Christian faith or just chose to ignore them to make his story work. At another point there’s an implied conversation between Jesus and his translator where it seems Jesus is admitting that he lied about his mother being a virgin in order to get people to listen which is a huge slap in the face to Catholics but to the rest of Christians to claim Jesus would lie about anything. Judas’ suicide is brushed off as no big deal and Jesus claims that even God would understand which is another huge punch to the Christian faith if not most belief systems where life is held sacred and suicide is considered heartbreaking. I don’t believe Jesus of all people wouldn’t care about someone ending their life.

The problems with dialogue and decimating the Christian faith never seemed to end. The dialogue can be fixed but taking extreme liberties with Christianity seemed to be the point of this book almost as if the author is so anti-Christian he needed to find a way to poke every hole possible into it and turn believers into mindless caricatures with no moral high ground.

I felt disappointed after reading it because there was a really good premise that didn’t need to drag Christianity through the mud to make it a good book. I don’t go to church, I only pray when some jerk cuts me off on the highway, and don’t have religious pictures or statues around my house but even I can muster respect for those who believe differently than me and wouldn’t screw with their faith.