HBO has given a pilot order to the fantasy project "Game of Thrones."

The program is based on George R.R. Martin's best-selling "A Song of Fire & Ice" series of novels. The "Game of Thrones" title is from the first novel.

If it gets an episodic order, "Thrones" would represent the rarest of TV genres: a full-fledged fantasy series.

Although broadcasters have embraced sci-fi-tinged shows in recent years following the success of ABC's "Lost" and NBC's "Heroes," and supernatural themes have been given a spin by the CW's "Supernatural" and HBO's own "True Blood," high fantasy is nearly nonexistent in primetime TV annals -- and "Thrones" is an unabashed member of the genre. The books have swords, dragons, magic, the works.

"Fantasy is the most successful genre in terms of feature films given the incredible popularity of the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Harry Potter' movies," said David Benioff, one of the executive producers.

"High fantasy has never been done on TV before, and if anybody can do it, it's HBO. They've taken tired genres and reinvented them -- mobsters in 'The Sopranos' and Westerns with 'Deadwood,'" said Benioff, whose writing credits include "Troy" and "The Kite Runner."