[bojan]

Thanks guys... Nope.. it's not Hyperion., and it's not Ian Banks.

I remember one detail - merchant ship, loaded with black wood from particular planet.
The wood is very, very strong, and can be cut only with powerful laser.
Also, the mind "invasion" ... one "infected" person (actually the invaded) refuses to go into stasis field, because the "invader" would be "expelled".
Or is it all from completely different novel(s)?

I have to leave it for a while, to settle properly...