Question regarding the Battle of Talas and paper

Factual Questions
1

Hi
According to “The Silk Roads” by Peter Frankopan, “Even if the traditional story that Chinese prisoners captured at the battle of Talas in 751 introduced paper-making skills to the Islamic world is overly romantic, it is certainly the case that from the later part of the eighth century the availability of paper made the recording, sharing and dissemination of knowledge wider, easier and quicker”. (p. 95)
My question is this. Which aspects of the account is overly romantic? Is the capture of the Chinese papermakers in doubt? This is the first time I have read anywhere that the account of the introduction of paper via the capture of Chinese papermakers at the Battle of Talas was “overly romantic”. I look forward to your feedback.

2

For those who are wondering… Battle of Talas.

The answer, it seems that the knowledge of paper making was present in C Asia for centuries before the battle. The Arab victory made them masters of C Asia, and opened up that technology vide the Arab Caliphate and its trading partners/enemies (which by that time were usually the same people).

So the Arab victory at Talas did open up paper making to the rest of the World, only not in the way that is commonly depicted, vide a couple of prisoners of war.

3

Thanks AK84 for enlightening me on that. It’s a pity this nonsense about Chinese prisoners revealing the paper-making process after the battle of Talas is continually propagated online and elsewhere as fact.