a crucial moment, for example, in which the heroine confronts saving the life of her lover and bringing him back to life, excerpt in a different body than she has known him in.

I didn't read it that way. Keeping him alive as a human being wasn't really an option (wrong atmosphere, aside from other incompatibilities), and surely the blue body involved was the same one she'd always known him wearing?

The narrative cliches didn't really matter too much. All westerns are full of cliches, even the off-beat ones like this), it's part of their appeal.

Pity about the boring battles, but presumably they've decided that that appeals to more people than it puts off. I'd like to think they are wrong, or at least that that stuff is a temporary phase that will pass.