There are of course some noticeable differences - a number of things that are less subtle and more explicit than Jordan would've done them, mainly, and a few unnecessary explanations that Jordan wouldn't have bothered with - and certain plot points were resolved unrealistically fast and smoothly, as if to compensate for the glacial movement of earlier books. But then, that latter thing seems like Jordan would've done it himself as well, considering his belief (which after GS seems rather ambitious to me) that he could've finished the series with one more novel.

I'm now wondering why we need *two* more books, and not just one. With the acceleration in pace and the constant admonitions that the Last Battle is at hand, it's not just odd to me that there'd be enough plot left for two full books, but I also wonder if Sanderson will be able to maintain that accelerated pace.

To get back at Sanderson's performance here, though, his lack of subtlety doesn't mean he altered or failed to nail certain characters, it's just he made some things more explicit, particularly involving Mat. In Egwene's case, that is a bit regrettable, as her storyline in this book does perhaps tend a little to the hagiographic, and more subtlety would not have hurt. But plot-wise and thematically, he stuck to the plan and did it rather well, and I have no complaints about his writing style.