Alta

Alta is the second book in the Dragon Jousters tetralogy by Mercedes Lackey. It is set in a fictionalized version of the pre-Pharaonic Lower Kingdom of Egypt. Lackey stated on her website that she intended Alta to be a fusion of predynastic Lower Egypt and Atlantis, with more emphasis on the former than the latter. The Atlantis connection is not readily apparent in Alta, but becomes a bit more obvious towards the end of the sequel, Sanctuary.