--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're 14, anything with a sword and…" description: "\"When you're 14, anything with a sword and a dragon is pretty cool. But when you're 21 and you've read 2,000 fantasy novels, you start to realize that s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/patrick-rothfuss-145_anything_when-you-re-14-anything-with-a-sword-and_1429381.jpg" --- # When you're 14, anything with a sword and a dragon is… ![“When you're 14, anything with a sword and a dragon is pretty cool. But when you're 21 and you've read 2,000 fantasy novels, you start to realize that some of those books, well, they weren't really good. OK, let's be honest. A lot of them were crap.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/patrick-rothfuss-145_anything_when-you-re-14-anything-with-a-sword-and_1429381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/patrick-rothfuss-145_anything_when-you-re-14-anything-with-a-sword-and_1429381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/patrick-rothfuss-145_anything_when-you-re-14-anything-with-a-sword-and_1429381.jpg) > “When you're 14, anything with a sword and a dragon is pretty cool. But when you're 21 and you've read 2,000 fantasy novels, you start to realize that some of those books, well, they weren't really good. OK, let's be honest. A lot of them were crap.” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early enthusiasm for fantasy fades as extensive reading reveals many low‑quality works. **In simple terms:** Reading many books shows many are bad. Key Takeaway Read critically, not just for quantity. Themes growth literature critical thinking Mood reflective critical Type observational analytical When to use this quote - choosing books - discussing literature - writing reviews - educational curricula Key Concepts quality assessment genre fatigue Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate quality from hype? - Can quantity ever replace quality? A Different Perspective Even seasoned readers may miss hidden gems due to bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragon/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fantasy novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy-novels/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels/) [Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I think one of the good things about writing novels is that you always start from scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-semple/i-think-one-of-the-good-things-about-writing-novels-is-that-you/) [Maria Semple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-semple/) > [After I'd been in college for a couple years I'd read Shakespeare and Frost and Chaucer and the poets of the Harlem Renaissance. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/after-i-d-been-in-college-for-a-couple-years-i-d-read-shakespeare-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [When you read a fantasy novel part of the fun is getting to explore a new world. Everyone knows that. But I believe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/when-you-read-a-fantasy-novel-part-of-the-fun-is-getting-to-explore-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was heavily influenced by my first attempt at a novel. I started a fantasy novel back in high school, and... well... it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-heavily-influenced-by-my-first-attempt-at-a-novel-i-started-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [We have more brilliant fantasy novels than brilliant fantasy movies. Movies and TV are done by committee. 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