ToM's darkness was weakened by the fact that we've already seen Rand's epiphany in tGS. I still enjoyed finding out how the story approached its final chapter, but the pacing was all off.

And I don't mean anti-climactic in the sense that the whole story is ruined, but the Rand arc has lost much of its oomph. He's already gone over his hump, and is ready to get down to business. We've seen the light at the end of the tunnel a book too soon, IMO.