The book follows three men, John Mather, Charles Miller, and Patrick Boyle, whose lives intersect in the early days of the Pennsylvania oil boom. John is a restless photographer determined to capture the grit and grandeur of an industry in its infancy. Charles is a disciplined young soldier whose sense of duty shapes his choices in the Civil War era. Patrick is an impulsive dreamer from an Irish immigrant family, eager to escape the small-town life that feels too small for him. Their stories unfold against a vivid backdrop of muddy streets, booming derricks, political tension, and the ever-present lure of fortune. While grounded in historical fact, the novel moves with the ease of personal storytelling, never drowning in dry details.

I found the writing to be grounded and full of texture. Chris Flanders has a knack for painting a vivid picture without making it feel like a history lesson. The voices of the three men are distinct. John’s ambitious restlessness, Charles’s measured sense of order, and Patrick’s raw yearning. The pacing struck me as unhurried yet purposeful. Some passages lingered on small domestic or mechanical details, and instead of feeling tedious, they made the world feel lived-in. The narrative sometimes wandered, and I caught myself wanting certain plotlines to move faster. But when the moments landed, like a dramatic freshet scene or a tense exchange between characters, they landed hard.

The emotional heart of the book for me was less about oil or war and more about the push and pull between ambition and belonging. Each man is chasing something: security, glory, independence, but they’re also tethered to the people and places they can’t fully leave behind. I felt the quiet ache in John’s marriage, the wary pride Charles took in his promotion, and Patrick’s mix of fear and thrill as he signed enlistment papers. The dialogue read naturally, without feeling over-polished, and I appreciated that not every conflict had a neat resolution. Life in the 1860s oilfields was messy, and the book doesn’t shy away from that.

I’d recommend The Image Maker to readers who enjoy historical fiction that feels both relatable and vivid. If you like stories where real events breathe through the grit of everyday life, this will draw you in. History buffs will appreciate the accuracy, but even if you don’t usually reach for that genre, the characters are engaging enough to keep you turning pages.