Liet-Kynes is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He was the son of Pardot Kynes, the original imperial planetologist/ecologist of Arrakis, and nominal leader of the Fremen at the start of the Dune novel.

Liet-Kynes inherited his fathers mantle and served as both the planetary ecologist of Dune and leader of the Fremen. He continued his father's vision of gradually transforming the planet's climate from a harsh desert into a temperate one. He died as a result of the Harkonnen/Sardaukar assault on House Atreides; the Harkonnens abandoned him in the desert without water or supplies.

Liet-Kynes is notable in that he makes critical thematic contributions to the novel of ecology and economy. Liet-Kynes is perhaps an allusion to the economist John Maynard Keynes who advocated deficit spending during difficult economic times.

Movies

In the 1984 version of Dune, Liet-Kynes is played by Max Von Sydow. In the 2000 mini-series Liet-Kynes was played by Karel Dobry .