I'm working with catalog documents in an .indb file and when PDFing from the book, without any other files open, all of the images come out looking like they are unlinked.

Images are all high resolution and linked in their individual files
I am using press quality/X1A presets with no compression set
Preflight shows no errors

The only way to get clear images is to have every single INDD from the book open and THEN make the PDF, which, to me, defeats the purpose of the book functionality.

I don't remember this being an issue in earlier versions but i hadn't used the book function since college so it's very possible it's always been this way and I've forgotten in the ten years that have transpired.