Ask AI: who are the main characters in this section and what do they do in the book the river

"The River" is a sequel to Gary Paulsen's popular novel "Hatchet." In "The River," the main characters are: 1. **Brian Robeson** - The protagonist of the story. He is a teenage boy who survived alone in the Canadian wilderness in "Hatchet." In "The River," he is asked to use his survival skills again when he returns to the wilderness with Derek. 2. **Derek Holtzer** - A psychologist who works for a government survival training program. He convinces Brian to return to the wilderness to help teach survival techniques. Derek is less experienced in survival than Brian, and during their adventure, he ends up in a coma after being struck by lightning. The story primarily follows Brian’s journey to survive and get Derek to safety after the accident. Brian’s resilience and resourcefulness are central to the narrative, much like in "Hatchet."