With the end of Game of Thrones in sight, HBO and George R.R. Martin are looking for their next act outside of the fantasy drama.

Author Nnedi Okorafor announced Monday that the premium cable network has optioned her 2010 science fiction and fantasy novel Who Fears Death with the Game of Thrones creator on board to executive produce and adapt the series for the small screen. HBO declined comment, and sources note the deal is not officially completed.

Published by Penguin Books imprint DAW, Who Fears Death takes place in a fictionalized post-apocalyptic future version of Sudan. It revolves around Onyesonwu (Igbo for "who fears death") who is an Ewu, the child of an Okeke woman who was raped by a Nuru man. When she reaches maturity, she uses her magical powers in a bid to defeat her sorcerer father Daib.

The novel won the 2011 World Fantasy Award for best novel as well as the Carl Brandon Kindred Award in 2010 for outstanding work of speculative fiction dealing with race and ethnicity."

"My World Fantasy Award-winning novel Who Fears Death has been optioned by HBO and is now in early development as a TV series with George R. R. Martin as executive producer. Note: This did not happen overnight. It's been nearly four years coming," Okorafor wrote on Facebook.

For his part, Martin is currently working on four (possibly five) potential Game of Thrones prequel series for HBO, where he is under an overall deal.