New Video Book Club Episode Features Author Christopher Paolini

Although Christopher Paolini's upcoming fantasy tale "Brisingr" doesn't officially go on sale until Sept. 20, starting today, customers can visit www.bordersmedia.com/paolini and watch an unscripted hour-long discussion between Paolini and his fans on the "Borders Book Club," the retailer's popular video book club program. The eagerly anticipated "Brisingr" is the third installment in Paolini's Inheritance cycle about the farm-boy-turned-Dragon-Rider Eragon who must save the world from an evil king. Borders expects the book to be one of the hottest selling young adult titles of 2008. The retailer has been taking pre-orders for "Brisingr" since January.

Borders teamed with Shur'tugal, the world's most comprehensive Inheritance cycle fan site, to select nine Paolini fans to participate in the book club discussion. Paolini traveled to Chelsea, Mich. to talk with the fans personally about the stories behind the books in the Inheritance cycle, among other themes. Paolini and the participants talked extensively about his creating "Eragon" and "Eldest," the first two titles in the Inheritance cycle, including how he developed the characters' names and their unique languages. Paolini even wowed the book club by reading from "Eldest" in one of the fictional foreign tongues he developed for his stories. Participants shared their theories and predictions about what they think will happen in "Brisingr," and peppered Paolini with questions about the upcoming book, some of which had to go unanswered until the book's release. Beyond discussing his books, Paolini also shared advice for young and aspiring writers, highlighting the importance of writing every day-and reading extensively.

With a first printing of 2.5 million copies by its publisher Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Random House Children's Books), "Brisingr" has the largest initial print run ever for a Random House Children's Books title. "Eragon" and "Eldest," both of which topped the New York Times bestseller list, together sold a total of 15.5 million copies worldwide.