It is a great time to be an EverQuest fan. The game will celebrate its 10th anniversary in a couple months, and I know some of our readers have been playing since day one. Just think back to what you were doing on March 16, 1999. Whether you were taking your first step into Norrath or not, EverQuest has remained a staple in both the lives of gamers and the world of popular culture for a decade. And you better believe Sony Online Entertainment is going to celebrate this milestone throughout 2009.

Members of the Allakhazam team are at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas right now, and today they were able to see first-hand the unveiling of the cover art for EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition, a book that focuses on EQ's lasting legacy. The cover was created by Donato Giancola and dedicated to the late Keith Parkinson, the painter of the original box art for EverQuest and the creator of elf princess Firiona Vie.

Also, the members of the Allakhazam team in attendance heard about SOE's plans to create a documentary about the life of EverQuest this year, and they even got the chance to talk to John Smedley, the president and CEO of SOE, about hitting the 10-year mark. Smedley (seen in the photo unveiling the book's cover) mentioned some exciting EQ news, so keep an eye out for that interview. We'll be posting it next week.

Keep reading after the jump for more information on the unveiling of the anniversary book's cover.

The cover was shown during a private event held by SOE at CES today, and it shows Firiona Vie, Parkinson's creation, leading a band of adventurers into battle against an evil wizard and his enormous dragon ally in the Swamp of No Hope. Giancola was a friend of Parkinson and his style closely matches that of the legendary EQ artist.

Sadly, after a lengthy struggle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, Parkinson passed away on Oct. 26, 2005. You can view a gallery of some of his artwork on his official Web site, as well as find out more about his life.

As for EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition, here's some information from an SOE press release:

EverQuest : The 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition celebrates EverQuest' s legacy by taking a look at the past, present and future of the brand. The book, written by veteran video game book author Rusel DeMaria, includes essays and photographs of the events, products, personalities and art that graced the world of Norrath over the years. Rich in vivid detail, each page will help tell the story of the evolution and its place in our culture.

The book will be published by BradyGames and will be available in March. You can pre-order it here.

The unveiling of the book's cover is only the beginning of the celebration. SOE will be holding special anniversary events around the country this year in honor of this milestone.