Hey folks! It seems I'm in bit of a bind, and was hoping I could get some help. I've always loved the fantasy genre, but until about 2009, I had been reading alot of sci-fi (mainly the Horus Heresy novels and other Black Library books). That was when a friend of mine introduced me to the WoT series, which I don't know how it had escaped notice for so long. Since then, I have been going back through my fantasy collection, re-reading what I can, which leads me to my current predicament.

 

There was one book that I found very interesting, but I can no longer find. In short, it was about a young woman who inherited a magic sword that could be wielded only by women, and would not kill women. The young woman later becomes a leader of a mercenary band. Beyond that, I can't remember much about it, not even the title! So, if anybody could help me, I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks for your time.

It almost sounds like the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey. They're fantasy and have strong female leads and themes.

 

If, however, this is not the series you're looking for I would still recommend it highly. They're extensive and very well written and organized. The read is somewhat easier than WoT as well since Lackey doesn't use the heavy exposition that Jordan did.